LIDL GB COMMITS TO 100% FREE RANGE EGGS

• Lidl GB today commits to selling 100% RSPCA Assured free range eggs by the end of 2024
• Reinforces discounter’s commitment to the welfare and conditions in which hens are housed
• Follows Lidl’s industry-leading introduction of Welfare Windows*, showing the different ways in which animals in its supply chain are reared
• Lidl’s has introduced longer-term contracts for its egg suppliers, giving them certainty and security to invest for the future

[3rd October 2022]: Lidl GB today commits to selling 100% free range eggs by the end of 2024, reinforcing its commitment to the welfare and conditions in which hens are housed.

Lidl has long been focused on offering the highest quality produce at the most affordable prices, which means the products it sells are all sourced responsibly and sustainably.

This new commitment – the first from a Discounter in Great Britain - builds on the supermarket’s existing pledge to work with suppliers to phase out the sale of eggs from caged hens in stores by 2025. It also means that, by the end of 2024, all of Lidl GB’s fresh shell eggs will be RSPCA Assured.

Martin Kottbauer, Chief Trading Officer, Lidl GB said: “We know that, in addition to the taste, the welfare and conditions in which hens are housed is important to our customers.”

As part of its commitment to championing British produce, 100% of Lidl GB’s fresh shell eggs are sourced from British suppliers and are produced under the British Lion Mark. As the supermarket transitions to selling only free range eggs it is working closely with its egg suppliers and has introduced longer-term contracts to help ensure that they have security and certainty needed to invest for the future.

Kottbauer continued: “Our commitment to selling 100% free range eggs by the end of 2024 builds on our strong credentials as a grocer which sources sustainably and responsibly, offering the highest quality produce at affordable prices. Whilst our overall market share is currently 7.1%, we know that 12% of all fresh shell eggs are bought through Lidl, and we therefore hope that this commitment will help create positive change across the industry.”

Mike Baker, CEO, RSPCA Assured said: “We are delighted that Lidl will be stocking only 100% free range eggs and that all of Lidl GB’s fresh shell eggs will be RSPCA Assured by the end of 2024.  This is a major step forward for a discount supermarket to show such a commitment to improving welfare standards for egg-laying hens. Lidl is clearly listening to its customers and understands that they increasingly care about where their food comes from. 

"Hens don’t belong in cages, they should all be free to roam and exhibit their natural behaviours, and we hope Lidl's move will encourage businesses who continue to offer caged eggs to do the same."

Lidl was one of the first global retailers to publicly disclose information and data about its supply chain and this further demonstrates the discounters’ approach to transparency and commitment to empowering customers to shop responsibly.

ENDS

* Lidl GB was the first retailer in the UK to introduce Welfare Windows to its fresh, meat, poultry and eggs ranges, helping customers to make more informed decisions. Currently, fresh shell eggs in store are clearly with one of the following categories below.

• British Enriched Colony where birds are housed in cages with more room for nesting and roosting than global standards
• British Barn where birds are free to move around in safe and comfortable barns with dust baths and perches to encourage natural behaviour
• British Barn + where birds have more space to allow natural behaviours with access to dust baths, straw bales and pecking objects
• British Free Range where birds are free to roam outdoors for a minimum of 8 daylight hours, sleeping in spacious and enriched barns at night
• British Organic where birds have access to large outdoor areas, with smaller flock sizes and an approved GM free diet

About Lidl GB

Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl GB has experienced continuous growth and today has over 28,000 employees, over 935 stores and 13 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales.

As part of the Schwarz retail group, Lidl is one of Europe’s leading organisations in the food retail industry. The supermarket, which has more than 360,000 employees globally, currently operates approximately 12,000 stores and more than 200 warehouses and distribution centres in 31 countries.

The supermarket takes pride in providing its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices throughout Great Britain, from Kirkwall to the Isle of Wight. Social responsibility and sustainability are at the core of the company's daily operations, with the company placing a strong emphasis on its responsibility for people, society, and the environment. Lidl GB is passionate about working with British producers and sources two thirds of its products from British suppliers.

The Schwarz Group, which operates worldwide as a retail group, generated a turnover of €133.6 billion in the financial year 2021.

For more information about Lidl GB visit https://corporate.lidl.co.uk/