The retailer had previously commited to ceasing the sale of eggs from caged hens by the end of 2025, but dropped the pledge in May despite protests by The Humane League UK.
At the time, Iceland cited the need to prioritise putting “essentials on the table” during the cost-of-living crisis, which it said necessitated the delay of its transition towards only selling cage-free eggs.
Since then Iceland has started piloting the sale of RSPCA Assured barn eggs across 35 stores in the UK and has now committed to selling only cage-free eggs within two years.
Commenting on the move, Iceland director of product, process and sustainability, Stuart Lendrum said: “We’ve always been honest about the challenge of balancing improved animal welfare with the urgent need to help families through the cost-of-living crisis. That’s why we never stopped offering free-range eggs, and why we introduced barn eggs as an affordable additional higher welfare option.
“Now, after months of work with our suppliers, we’re pleased to set a new timeline delivering investment and increased capacity in British barn egg production enabling our transition to cage-free by June 2027. This is the right route to protect both affordable choice and welfare and reflects our ‘Doing it Right’ commitment in action.
“We value constructive engagement, but we also have a responsibility to our customers. This is a plan that delivers on both fronts.”
According to Iceland, it is currently the fourth largest retailer of caged eggs in the UK, with sales of these products having declined by almost 15% in the last year.
In response to the new commitment, managing director at The Humane League UK, Sean Gifford, explained that the charity would work to hold Iceland to its pledge moving forward.
“After breaking their original promise to stop keeping hens in cruel cages by 2025, Iceland is finally doing the right thing,” Gifford said.
“Of course, we’d rather they move faster than 2027. But we welcome their renewed commitment and thank all those who took action to make this happen. Mark our words: we’ll be holding Iceland to this promise, and making sure no hen is left behind.”
In related news, Iceland has announced plans to update its prawn sourcing policy amid pressure from animal welfare activists.
The retailer has committed to eliminating the use of eyestalk ablation across its own-label prawn supply chain by the end of 2027, instead moving to the use of electrical stunning.
