Photo credits: ©L214
Last week, L214 released an investigation capturing the ghastly conditions in which laying hens are kept in the industrial farms federated by the Groupe Avril, leading actor in French industrial oils and proteins sector. The appalling footage shows more than 150,000 laying hens cramped in cages, experiencing distress and anguish. L214 calls citizens to sign the petition against the cruel treatment of laying hens and address the issue with Groupe Avril’s own CEO to ban the use of cages from its supply chain by 2025.
On October 4 the Avril Group, a major industrial and financial group federating farmers and livestock breeders in France announced its commitment of supplying 100% alternative eggs by 2025. Egg brand Matines, Avril Group’s subsidiary, obliged to only sell eggs from hens reared in laying barns, or under free range or produced in certified organic conditions. The commitments arose as a result of a partnership recently signed with Compassion in World Farming, but it leaves out the production of hundreds of millions of ‘hidden eggs’ used by food manufacturers and served in school canteens, retirement homes and restaurants.
According to L214, most French industrial actors already addressed this issue and committed to stop supplying eggs from caged laying hens, a practice condemned by 90% of citizens across Europe. Expressing strong opposition to the Avril Group’s partial commitment, L214 now calls for a complete abolishment of cages, which they’ve exposed again in this shocking investigation.
Tens of thousands of laying hens are shown locked up and lined in completely stacked cages placed in buildings without natural light or fresh air. Many animals end up heavily injured and left to rotten in the middle of their compartments. L214 urges citizens to sign the petition and ask Jean-Philippe Puig, CEO of Groupe Avril, to publicly commit to ban all eggs from caged laying hens from their supply chain by 2025.
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