The French government has announced that the sale of fresh eggs from caged chickens will be completely banned by 2022, and only eggs from chickens that are free to move about will be allowed. Environmental and animal rights organizations have always protested the treatment of chickens that are raised in cages. It is extremely cruel and harmful to the animals, as they live crammed together in closed spaces without natural light - an environment totally foreign to their natural habitat that causes stress and diseases. For these reasons it is also highly likely that the eggs from caged chickens are not healthy for human consumption.

This measure is a commitment that the French government promised during the last election. Some French supermarkets are already one step ahead and only sell eggs from free range farms, despite the fact that this proposal will not go into force for some time. However, animal rights organizations are angry that the mass production of eggs from caged chickens will not be fully stopped in France, as they will continue to be used for processed products that use eggs. Here in Spain, the Animalist Party has announced that it will ask for a similar ban on the sale of eggs from caged chickens. This is not likely to be passed, but hopefully Spain will become more enlightened on these matters as we have one of the largest populations of abused chickens with more than 35 million animals confined in tiny unsanitary cages.