Store bans caged hen eggs

Every Co-op supermarket in Shropshire and Mid Wales today banned the sale of eggs from caged hens following a huge consultation process with shoppers.

More than 100,000 customers took part in the six-month consultation programme, identifying ethical trading, animal welfare and the environment as their key priorities. The supermarket chain is also converting its own hot drinks range to Fairtrade.

David Parker, chief officer of The Co-op in the Border Counties and West Midlands, said: "Our shoppers in the region responded to the poll in their thousands, reflecting the real interest of consumers in the policies of the businesses they trade with and endorsing our ethical approach to business.

"We have listened to what they had to say and acted on their priority issues now."

With 50 stores across the region, Co-op has become the first UK retailer to convert its entire own-brand hot drinks category - worth more than £16 million - to Fairtrade.

It remains the only retailer to have converted its own-brand coffee range to Fairtrade and is now switching all Co-op tea to Fairtrade, along with the rest of its hot chocolate range.

The move will benefit producers in some of the world's poorest countries in East Africa and India.

As well as receiving a guaranteed price for their crop, they will get a Fairtrade premium to invest in projects of their choice, such as water supplies, educational equipment and medical facilities. The ban on the sale of eggs from caged hens means that all eggs on sale at the Co-op are now free range or organic.

Peter Marks, Co-op chief executive, said: "More than one in four of our members cited ethical trading as their priority."

By Rural Affairs Correspondent Nathan Rous