Because of a ridiculous loophole in U.K. regulatory policy, chickens kept indoors in cages can still legally be labeled as "cage-free" -- even if they literally never see the sun. Consumers have a right to know what conditions chickens live in when they purchase egg or meat products at the store. This mislabeling is reckless and unacceptable, and we deserve transparency about the conditions of poultry farms!
Sign the petition now to demand that the United Kingdom Parliament mandate that poultry farms change their labeling while all chickens are kept locked in cages!
All chickens farmed in the United Kingdom are currently being kept indoors as one of the largest ever outbreaks of the avian flu has struck birds across the island this past winter. Keeping birds indoors to avoid risk of disease might make sense, but this loophole is allowing meat and egg producers to continue to label their products as free range. This means some chickens that never see the outdoors will still be labeled as "free range" when their meat hits supermarket shelves. This loophole is clearly a strategy to keep the meat industry afloat while it manages the inevitable disease outbreaks that occur when animals are kept in close quarters and in poor conditions.
As of now, the label "cage-free" literally means nothing. And this sets a dangerous precedent for an industry that has a history of egregiously using meaningless labels like "natural" and "humanely raised" to manipulate well-intentioned customers.
Regardless of the intention behind keeping chickens indoors, consumers deserve transparency. We must put pressure on the UK Parliament to mandate that poultry producers update their labeling while chickens are locked inside. If an animal is still in a cage, a product should not then be labeled cage free. Sign the petition now if you agree!
