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update:Jun 15, 2006
Battery egg producers bow to labelling pressure
Two of New Zealand's largest battery hen producers will now label
their battery egg cartons, after bowing to pressure from animal advocacy
organisation SAFE.
SAFE welcomed the move calling it a "triumphant occasion
for consumers and caged hens".
SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek
handed over a 51,438 signature petition calling for mandatory labelling of egg
cartons to the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Judith Tizard, and Green MP Sue
Kedgley at parliament yesterday. The petition complemented Ms Kedgley's Consumer
Right to Know Bill which also calls for mandatory labelling.
"The
announcement by Mainland Poultry and Independent Egg Producers to start
labelling their battery hen produced eggs is the first positive move. The move
to add 'Cage Eggs' to egg cartons is welcomed by SAFE. We have been calling for
an end to misleading labels such as 'Farm Fresh' for years," Kriek
said.
"SAFE will continue to press for mandatory egg labelling
legislation as other egg producers still confuse and mislead consumers. Eight
out of ten New Zealanders oppose battery hen farming and we expect fewer battery
eggs will be sold once consumers can clearly identify these eggs," says Mr
Kriek.
Kriek said consumers are being misled about the origin of the
eggs they buy because of the names producers use. He said Europe and
several Australian states have already introduced mandatory egg labelling so
consumers know how the eggs have been
produced.
Editor WorldPoultry
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