Ethical Eggs: Organic, Free Range or Local?

Where do you buy your eggs?

As a conscious consumer it is so difficult to decide between one ‘ethical’ choice and another.

Should you buy organic or free range or local? What’s the difference and what’s the best?

It really is a bit of a nightmare for the everyday conscious consumer. Far too often I find myself staring blankly in a food aisle trying to work out which label means what.

But now I’ve done the research so that you won’t find yourself in this situation anymore!

ORGANIC

Hens are fed an organic diet that is free from genetically modified organisms.
Hens are not given routine antibiotics (these are excessively used in intensive farming and are passed onto us in the food chain, undermining our ability to treat disease).
Hens graze on organic pasture where only natural fertilisers are used and pesticides are prohibited.
In the UK, organic hens must be free-range.

FREE RANGE

Hens have more room than battery hens because they’re not kept in cages but there are widespread concerns that they don’t actually have that much more room.
Free range flocks must have continuous daytime access to open, vegetated runs.
The maximum stocking density of these runs is 2,500 hens per hectare.

LOCAL

Buying local offers more transparency – you can ask questions and gain first hand knowledge of animal welfare standards on your local farm.
You will be supporting small, family-run farms and in turn supporting your local economy.
You will reduce your carbon footprint because the eggs won’t have travelled far, probably only a few miles down the road!
The produce will be fresh and therefore offers you more nutritional value.

*Please note that definitions and criteria surrounding organic and free range eggs vary depending on the country. Standards can also vary widely depending on the individual producer.