From veganfoodandliving.com
Phasing out cages is finally on the UK government’s agenda, but will the 2032 ban actually deliver for animals? Only if we learn from the past...
The British countryside is often pictured as an idyllic landscape of roaming livestock, yet for millions of animals, the reality is far more confined.
For decades, activists have campaigned against the industrial ‘stacking’ of sentient beings, waiting for a legislative shift that feels permanent. That shift may have finally arrived.
On 12th January 2026, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched a major consultation on a proposed ban of colony cages for egg-laying hens. Starting with a ban on introducing new colony cages and similar caging systems, along with eradicating any existing battery cages in use, the proposed legislation aims for a total phase-out of cages by 2032.
This follows Defra’s Animal Welfare Strategy for England, a set of reforms published in December 2025, which promised to see the end of trail hunting and snare traps in the UK along with vast improvements for domestic and farmed animals.
The reforms start by phasing out the use of existing battery cage systems in the UK. Photo © Sittisak/Adobe Stock
Is the 2032 cage ban a realistic goal?
The road to a cage-free Britain is currently occupied by millions of hens still living in ‘enriched’ colony systems. While the proposal sounds like a definitive win, history teaches us that agricultural timelines can be as fragile as an eggshell.
Critics often point to the 2012 EU-wide ban on battery cages as a cautionary tale. While it successfully removed the most cramped, barren cages, it simply replaced them with the ‘enriched’ colony versions that the UK now looks to phase out.
These systems only offer each hen space roughly the size of an A4 sheet of paper – a scant improvement on the previous battery cages. And, as stated in Defra’s consultation, the colony cage system still “restricts choice, preventing access to the ground and other levels, and limiting the ability to run, flap wings, dustbathe or forage.”
In a Defra press release, Dame Angela Eagle, the UK’s Farming Minister, stated that the government is “committed to improving the lives of farm animals” while supporting farmers to remain profitable. However, whether this leads to a total welfare revolution or another half-measure transition remains in question.
The risk of a ‘barn egg’ loophole
There is a growing concern that phasing out cages could lead to a mass shift toward intensive indoor barn systems. In these environments, while hens aren’t behind bars, they can face different welfare issues, such as smothering or injurious pecking in high-density flocks. Without strict regulations on stocking densities and environmental enrichment, a cage-free label doesn’t automatically mean a happy hen.
Anthony Field, Head of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) UK, noted that the consultation is an “extremely encouraging move” and a “huge” step towards addressing the suffering of millions. However, the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) has voiced additional concerns that the ban could “deliver little meaningful benefit for hens” if not paired with protections against imported eggs produced to lower standards.
The ban may offer some welfare improvements for British hens, but if imported eggs – produced in cramped conditions – are cheaper, there may be little benefit overall. Photo © poco_bw/Adobe Stock
Beyond the colony cage ban
The Animal Welfare Strategy for England goes beyond banning cages for hens. It’ll also see the phasing out of farrowing cages and CO2 stunning for pigs, along with exploring alternatives to animal testing.
To ensure this strategy doesn’t fizzle out, experts are calling for robust financial support for farmers and strict trade protections. As the consultation remains open until 9th March 2026, the coming weeks will determine if 2032 is a true milestone or just another moving target in the history of agricultural compromise.
https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/2032-cage-ban-hens-uk/
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