Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world
Concurrent with the growth of the human population, global egg production has experienced exponential increase in the last 50 years. This exponential growth has been made possible through the refinement of intensive egg production systems, predominately, conventional cages. The significant amount of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Animal Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.995430/full |
| _version_ | 1811239414644342784 |
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| author | Michelle Sinclair Michelle Sinclair Natasha Y. P. Lee Maria José Hötzel Maria Catalina T. de Luna Arvind Sharma Arvind Sharma Musadiq Idris Mohammad Ariful Islam Oluwaseun S. Iyasere Grisel Navarro Abdelkareem A. Ahmed Michael Curry Georgette Leah Burns Jeremy N. Marchant |
| author_facet | Michelle Sinclair Michelle Sinclair Natasha Y. P. Lee Maria José Hötzel Maria Catalina T. de Luna Arvind Sharma Arvind Sharma Musadiq Idris Mohammad Ariful Islam Oluwaseun S. Iyasere Grisel Navarro Abdelkareem A. Ahmed Michael Curry Georgette Leah Burns Jeremy N. Marchant |
| author_sort | Michelle Sinclair |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Concurrent with the growth of the human population, global egg production has experienced exponential increase in the last 50 years. This exponential growth has been made possible through the refinement of intensive egg production systems, predominately, conventional cages. The significant amount of liberties conventional cages withhold from hens has also formed the basis of growing challenge to the industry in many countries, with some major regions such as the European Union making sweeping regulatory reform. These reforms were driven by well-organised animal advocacy groups, fuelled by aligning consumer attitudes and behaviours. In the absence of concerted hen welfare advocacy and cage-free movement in much of the rest of the world, it is difficult to know what consumer attitudes and knowledge may exist outside the European Union. This study aimed to contribute to this knowledge by surveying 4,292 members of the public at random across 14 geographically and culturally diverse countries (Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, Thailand, UK and USA). The findings show that most participants across all countries eat eggs, most state that it matters to them that hens do not suffer in the process of producing the eggs they eat, and importantly, a majority of participants in most countries (except Nigeria) would prefer (to varying degrees) to purchase eggs from hens not kept in cages. Participant knowledge of the dominant system of egg production in their country varied greatly, with frequent uncertainty. This suggests a need for clarity and consistency in communication to consumers during campaigns, in order to mitigate confusion. Most importantly, although these similarities existed across the countries, important regional differences were also present. This underscores the importance of understanding animal and agricultural issues by geopolitical region, and of locally tailoring strategy. The findings of this research will be of strategic use to egg producers and animal welfare advocates alike in understanding and appropriately catering to consumers in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:00:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a7f90bfad8884236b47466013edb0c7d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-6225 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:00:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Animal Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a7f90bfad8884236b47466013edb0c7d2022-12-22T03:32:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Animal Science2673-62252022-10-01310.3389/fanim.2022.995430995430Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the worldMichelle Sinclair0Michelle Sinclair1Natasha Y. P. Lee2Maria José Hötzel3Maria Catalina T. de Luna4Arvind Sharma5Arvind Sharma6Musadiq Idris7Mohammad Ariful Islam8Oluwaseun S. Iyasere9Grisel Navarro10Abdelkareem A. Ahmed11Michael Curry12Georgette Leah Burns13Jeremy N. Marchant14Harvard Law School, Animal Law & Policy Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United StatesSchool of Veterinary Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaAsia Animal Happiness Consultancy, Puchong, Selangor, MalaysiaLaboratório de Etologia Aplicada e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, BrazilDepartment of Basic Veterinary Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Los Baños, PhilippinesSchool of Veterinary Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaHimachal Pradesh Animal Husbandry Department, Veterinary Polyclinic, Himachal Pradesh, Shahpur, IndiaFaculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, PakistanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, BangladeshDepartment of Animal Physiology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria0Departamento de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile1Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gaborone, Botswana2School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia3Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia4United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesConcurrent with the growth of the human population, global egg production has experienced exponential increase in the last 50 years. This exponential growth has been made possible through the refinement of intensive egg production systems, predominately, conventional cages. The significant amount of liberties conventional cages withhold from hens has also formed the basis of growing challenge to the industry in many countries, with some major regions such as the European Union making sweeping regulatory reform. These reforms were driven by well-organised animal advocacy groups, fuelled by aligning consumer attitudes and behaviours. In the absence of concerted hen welfare advocacy and cage-free movement in much of the rest of the world, it is difficult to know what consumer attitudes and knowledge may exist outside the European Union. This study aimed to contribute to this knowledge by surveying 4,292 members of the public at random across 14 geographically and culturally diverse countries (Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sudan, Thailand, UK and USA). The findings show that most participants across all countries eat eggs, most state that it matters to them that hens do not suffer in the process of producing the eggs they eat, and importantly, a majority of participants in most countries (except Nigeria) would prefer (to varying degrees) to purchase eggs from hens not kept in cages. Participant knowledge of the dominant system of egg production in their country varied greatly, with frequent uncertainty. This suggests a need for clarity and consistency in communication to consumers during campaigns, in order to mitigate confusion. Most importantly, although these similarities existed across the countries, important regional differences were also present. This underscores the importance of understanding animal and agricultural issues by geopolitical region, and of locally tailoring strategy. The findings of this research will be of strategic use to egg producers and animal welfare advocates alike in understanding and appropriately catering to consumers in the future.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.995430/fullLaying henshousing systemswelfareinternationalcross-culturalgeneral public |
| spellingShingle | Michelle Sinclair Michelle Sinclair Natasha Y. P. Lee Maria José Hötzel Maria Catalina T. de Luna Arvind Sharma Arvind Sharma Musadiq Idris Mohammad Ariful Islam Oluwaseun S. Iyasere Grisel Navarro Abdelkareem A. Ahmed Michael Curry Georgette Leah Burns Jeremy N. Marchant Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world Frontiers in Animal Science Laying hens housing systems welfare international cross-cultural general public |
| title | Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world |
| title_full | Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world |
| title_fullStr | Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world |
| title_short | Consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world |
| title_sort | consumer attitudes towards egg production systems and hen welfare across the world |
| topic | Laying hens housing systems welfare international cross-cultural general public |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.995430/full |
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