Egg labelling systems allow consumers to make welfare-informed choices, but labelling complexity and inconsistency across markets can confuse even motivated consumers.
Labelling is a powerful welfare tool when it is accurate, standardised, and understood by consumers. The EU's numeric coding system is simple and effective for shell eggs, but processed food ingredients are largely unlabelled for production method. Consumer confusion is compounded by misleading descriptors — 'natural', 'farm-fresh', and similar terms convey nothing about welfare. Mandatory welfare labelling for processed food ingredients would significantly increase the reach of consumer welfare choices into the supply chain.