Ban on Battery Cages & Pigs Directive Peter Stevenson Compassion in World Farming

EU ban on conventional battery cages & on sale of battery eggs comes into force 1 st January 2012

We are opposed to any postponement of the ban on battery cages

Intra-Community Trade Producers who are compliant by must be protected from unfair competition from producers who continue to unlawfully use battery cages From sale of battery eggs is prohibited under EU Egg Marketing Regulation Governments entitled not to permit sale of battery eggs unlawfully produced in other Member States

We oppose weakening of sales ban Opposed to legalising of sale of battery eggs in MS of production Would remove incentive for farmers to move away from battery cages Opposed to code 4 for battery eggs – would legalise sale of battery eggs

Volume of intra-Community trade in eggs & egg products: Data based on 2010 study produced for EP ComAgri Only 11.5% of EU egg production (shell eggs & egg products) is traded between the Member States (MS) 85.4% is used in MS of production. Remaining 3.1% is exported to third countries Proportion of egg production exported to other MS Member State% exported to other MS Spain2.2% Italy3.0% Poland3.9% France9.2%

Food businesses supporting the move away from cages All Dutch & Austrian & most Belgian supermarkets have stopped selling battery eggs. All big German supermarket chains now cage-free. Many foodservice operators no longer use battery eggs - vast majority of whole eggs used in EU by McDonalds, Europes leading foodservice operator, are free range. Food manufacturers moving away from cage eggs. Unilever, Europes second largest food manufacturer, aims to be cage- free in all mayonnaises & dressings in a range of MS by 2012

Position of UK retailers re battery cage ban CompanyShell eggsEgg ingredients SainsburysCage-freeCage-free by 2012 on own label products Marks & SpencerFree rangeFree range on own label products WaitroseFree rangeFree range on own label products Co-opFree rangeFree range on 70% of own label products MorrisonsFree range on own labelNot cage-free TescoIs replacing battery eggs with enriched cage eggs ASDAPlans to replace battery eggs with enriched cage eggs

Member StateFood business activity UK Supermarkets: see table Many foodservice operators cage-free, e.g. Pret à Manger, McDonalds, Starbucks, Subway, JD Wetherspoon & Ikea. France Sales of cage-free eggs represent 31% of total retail sales in volume & 45% in value Lustucru, a leading pasta brand, has launched new range of free-range pasta Italy Leading retailer, Coop Italia, cage-free on all shell eggs & working on going cage-free on egg product Big retailer, Esselunga, cage-free on its own branded shell eggs. 4 pasta producers & 1 ice-cream maker received Good Egg Awards Spain Calvé uses only free range eggs for its mayonnaise. Autogrill & Ikea are cage-free. Autogrill has big communication campaign informing its customers about its use of free-range eggs. Germany All big supermarket chains are cage-free. Most pasta producers, 30 producers of bakery products & 20 foodservice companies cage-free or are in process of becoming so

Need for improved enforcement of Pigs Directive

Widespread breaches of Pigs Directives requirement to provide enrichment materials & its prohibition on routine tail docking CIWF investigation in UK, Germany, Spain, NL, Demark & Hungary – visited 74 farms Vast majority in breach of Directive as had no enrichment materials & almost all pigs were tail- docked Investigation in France - no enrichment materials & routine tail-docking

FVO reports FVO reports over last 15 months concerning 13 MS show widespread failure by pig industry to comply with requirement to provide enrichment materials & prohibition on routine tail docking equally pervasive failure by MS to enforce this legislation

Percentage of undocked pigs in surveyed countries: EFSA report 2007 Copyright EFSA EFSA: Over 90% of pigs in EU are tail- docked

Directive requires provision of enrichment materials must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material to enable proper investigation and manipulation activities Directive requires provision of materials such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat Legally, if use a material other than one of those specified, it must be as effective in enabling proper investigation and manipulation activities

Which materials provide effective enrichment? EFSA reviews of scientific research –enrichment materials should be complex, changeable & destructible –chains, tyres, toys, balls, plastic objects & chewing sticks are not effective enrichment materials

Directive prohibits routine tail docking inadequate environmental conditions or management systems must be changed before docking is carried out EFSA: principal causes of tail biting include absence of straw & barren environment Farmer must provide effective enrichment materials before s/he legally entitled to tail dock