Consumer watchdog Choice has accused the New South Wales’ government of posting incorrect and confusing information about free-range egg labelling on its website.
On Friday the NSW Food Authority confirmed it had responded to calls for more transparent information on egg labelling and farming practices by creating a new page on its website to explain the laws.
But Choice spokeswoman Ingrid Just said the information was incorrect, and that while consumers are willing to pay a premium of up to $5 for free-range eggs, the standards are lacking.
Producers are certified under a number of voluntary codes, and the lack of regulations mean that those who sell eggs from free-range hens which are housed together with other caged hens can still get the free-range certification.
“If you were going to buy free-range eggs and ensure that they met your expectations of free-range, you'd have to stand in front of the shelves, have a smartphone, navigate the site, expand and collapse the drop-down menus on your phone and read the information,'' Just said.
''Imagine a busy mum, who just wants to buy eggs from hens she believes are happy and scratching around, roaming freely and undergoing normal chook-like behaviours,'' she said.
''Consumers take between three and five seconds to choose a product off the shelf – so whilst it's information, it's not user-friendly and it's not helping consumers at that point of sale when they're making the critical selection.''
The maximum stock density for free to roam hens is currently 1500 per hectare, but the website got those figures wrong too, Just explained.
NSW food authority public affairs manager Deborah Smith disagreed with the claims, saying it would stand by its interpretation of stocking density under the code of practice.
In March Western Australia’s Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food, Paul Papalia, said that consumers were receiving misleading information by companies finding loopholes in the ‘free range’ definitions.
"In WA there is no regulation or legislation governing the use of the term 'free range' and as a consequence consumers are being ripped off by some people who are claiming free range status on their eggs," he said.
"That is deceptive behaviour on behalf of some of those producers."
But the Agriculture Minister said it is the state government’s responsibility to create rules around the housing of animals on farms, despite the RSPCA branding the decision by the Australian Egg Corporation to increase stock density from 1500 to 2000 per hectare as inhumane.
"It's not our job to regulate things that sit outside of the formal rules around animal welfare and environmental standards," he said.
While the Commercial Egg Producers Association of WA sid it would welcome more regulation on the housing of animals, President John Simpson believes companies have to be realistic.
"I think we've got to move with the times," he said.
"We need to feed the growing population; a lesser density wouldn't achieve those things."
Do you think we need tougher rules about 'free to roam' claims? Do you buy roam free eggs?
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