15 October 2025: Egg-citing news; Woolworths NZ achieves 100% cage-free eggs goal

Woolworths NZ is proud to announce all its eggs on-shelf are now 100% cage-free and that it is also the first national retailer to achieve this milestone.

Woolworths NZ Managing Director Sally Copland says Woolworths NZ’s commitment to animal welfare is a fundamental part of their commitment to the communities they operate within.

“We know our customers trust us to do the right thing and we are incredibly proud to be the first national retailer to have gone completely cage-free with our on-shelf eggs,” she said.

“We appreciate our customers' positive engagement and support throughout this journey which started eight years ago.”

Head of Sustainability for Woolworths NZ Catherine Langabeer says Woolworths will continue to work collaboratively with its egg farmers and suppliers, and that includes a broader ambition that all eggs used as an ingredient in Woolworth’s Own Brand products are also cage-free.

“We remain dedicated to this goal and continue to work closely with our suppliers on transition plans.”

Langabeer said originally Woolworths NZ had set a target deadline of being 100% cage-free by December 2025.

“Having reached our goal for eggs on-shelf three months earlier than we planned shows our genuine commitment to our suppliers and customers, and listening to what is important to them.”

With a 2.5% growth in the total egg market over the past year, Woolworths NZ has also seen a significant growth in its Macro Free Range - with being SPCA Certified.

“This shows our customers are loving the move away from colony eggs,” Langabeer said.

Better Eggs Chief Executive Officer Gareth van der Heyden says around the world, shoppers are increasingly choosing cage-free because they care about where their food comes from and how it’s produced.

“We are proud to supply Woolworths NZ as they move to be 100% cage-free. Doing the right thing by our hens and our customers has always been at the heart of what we do, and it’s inspiring to see Woolworths NZ showing the same commitment through their leadership in this space,” he said.

“We’re also proud to support Woolworths’ efforts to raise the bar for animal welfare and the quality of every egg on shelf.”

For further information on Woolworths NZ’s animal welfare policy click here.