More than seven out of ten supermarkets (73%) still sell eggs from caged hens, despite commitments made by retailers to stop selling them by January 1, 2026, according to a survey published Wednesday by the Anima association. The data was collected in January from nearly 400 stores, with support from the NGO Data for Good.
The association does, however, highlight a clear decline over the long term: eggs from caged hens represented only 14% of supermarket sales in 2025, compared to 51% in 2016, according to Itavi data. They nevertheless remain on shelves, sometimes without any indication of the farming method, which would constitute a violation of European regulations.
Significant disparities exist between brands.
Anima notes significant discrepancies between retailers: these eggs were found in only 3,6% of Monoprix stores visited, in 26,7% of Aldi stores, and in less than half of Intermarché stores. Conversely, they were present in more than 80% of the Carrefour and Leclerc stores inspected, and in more than 90% of the U, Auchan, and Lidl stores.
In 95% of cases, the caged eggs identified were French. Lidl is the retailer where the association reports having most frequently observed imported caged eggs, particularly from Poland. Several distributors cite current tensions in the French egg market, characterized by rising consumption and insufficient production. Carrefour, for its part, disputes the report's methodology.
