Free-range egg labelling promises outdoor access for hens, but the quality of range provision varies enormously. Understanding what makes a good range, and the welfare gap between label promises and reality, is essential for informed consumer choices.
Free-range labelling creates a welfare expectation that basic free-range standards often fail to deliver. Hens on large, poorly designed ranges with inadequate shelter and vegetation may have nominal outdoor access but limited ability to express natural foraging and ranging behaviour due to predator fear and environmental discomfort. The label 'free range' does not guarantee welfare - it guarantees a minimum physical space that can be used poorly. True range welfare requires vegetation cover, shelter, water access in the range, and appropriate flock sizes relative to pop-hole provision. Consumers who pay a premium for free-range eggs deserve confidence that hens are genuinely using and benefiting from outdoor access.