Cage Free & Free Range Probably Don’t Mean What You Think They Mean… Except At Natural Grocers

The gooey labeling mess is a result of labeling claims that imply one thing but, unfortunately, do not necessarily mean what you think they mean— like the term cage free. According to the USDA, “Cage-free eggs must be produced by hens housed in a building, room, or enclosure that allows for unlimited access to food and water and provides the freedom to roam that area during the laying cycle.” This means that the hens do not go outside because if they went outside, they would qualify for the free-range label. The cage-free label only means the hens are not in cages during the laying cycle. Which also means they can be caged when not producing eggs. Additionally, cage free does not cover ecologically thoughtful practices or humane standards of care, such as indoor air quality, ventilation, natural lighting, an environment that promotes natural behaviors and protects the hens, and space requirements per hen in the barn.

What about free range?

A term that probably conjures images of hens that are out on the “range?” That’s not necessarily the case. The USDA definition of free range says, “Free range eggs must be produced by cage-free hens housed in a building, room, or area that allows for unlimited access to food, water, and continuous access to the outdoors during their laying cycle.” The biggest confusion comes about due to these five words: “continuous access to the outdoors.” This does not mean that the hens are required to go outdoors, it only means that there has to be a small, hen-sized flap somewhere in their indoor area of confinement for the hens to access the outdoors. And outdoors doesn’t mean out on the range, it can simply mean a screened-in enclosure with a concrete floor. Additionally, there does not need to be space for all the hens to be “outdoors” at the same time. Furthermore, the hens could be caged when not laying eggs. Finally, just like with cage free there are no ecologically thoughtful practices or humane standards of care within this definition.

Our Free-Range Egg Standards Go Above & Beyond the USDA Requirements

Due to the limited requirements set by the USDA, we saw the need to establish our own standards for egg-laying hens that clearly define what continuous access to the outdoors means, and that includes ecologically thoughtful practices and humane standards of care. We require all of our farmers to go above and beyond the USDA requirements for free range. In addition, we have an egg-ranking system to help you navigate the claims and ensure that you are buying eggs that come from happy, healthy hens and match the standards that you expect. Most retailers are currently struggling to meet a cage-free standard, as evidenced by their failure to meet their self-imposed deadlines for this transition, let alone meet our standard of free range.

We’re really proud to be a leader in the free-range movement because no other major grocery retailer has even come close to our baseline standard. By setting our egg standards high while keeping our prices low and always affordable, we provide you with the ability to buy eggs that are produced with the standards that are important to you.

Take a look at the chart below for a quick overview of what we require, what the label claim requires, and the standards at other retailers.

Egg Standards: Ours Vs. Theirs

Click the image to enlarge.

*Egg standards should be clearly communicated by egg suppliers in all marketing materials—including packaging and websites. If this information is lacking, you may not be getting the full story. Ask your retailer for more information.