Leeds, U.K.-based supermarket giant Asda has ignored calls to ban battery cage eggs from its shelves. The main reason why: price. “Caged eggs are cheaper than free range eggs. Many of our customers only have 46 Pounds left at the end of the month, and the way they choose something is down to price,” an Aida spokesman says in the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Other U.K. supermarket chains are going the cage-free route, however. Both Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have committed to going cage-free by 2010 and 2012, respectively, according to the Farmers Guardian. “We see animal welfare as an extremely important factor when sourcing our produce, that’s why we’re taken action on eggs, It’s something we know our customers care about as many of them already prefer free-range and organic shell eggs,” says Morrisons’ poultry trading manager Jamie Winter.
