As UK consumers are poised to consume approximately 52 million eggs today in celebration of Pancake Day (an increase of around 22 million more eggs than on any other day) now is the perfect time to remind people to consider hen welfare and choose higher welfare eggs. 

Hens are intelligent, inquisitive and social animals that need vital enrichment, so they can express their natural behaviours and be happy and healthy.

As such it is paramount we all think about where our eggs have come from before we buy them. Just making one small substitution in your shop and opting for higher welfare can improve the lives of millions of hens across the UK. 

A recent poll, carried out by RSPCA Assured - the RSPCA's ethical food label and farm assurance scheme - found that the majority of Brits are concerned about hen welfare, with three quarters of Brits saying hen welfare is important and two-thirds saying they look for either the RSPCA Assured logo or free-range label when buying eggs. 

Reassuringly, only one percent of respondents said they didn't believe hens needed access to a higher welfare lifestyle, revealing an almost unanimous demand for higher welfare products. 

It's really encouraging to see consumers prioritising hen welfare when they shop and recognising that hens are sentient creatures who deserve a good life. 

The results of the survey clearly show that hen welfare is no longer just a niche concern but an increasingly mainstream demand. 

However, we want to encourage even more people to think about hen welfare this Pancake Day and make sure that higher welfare eggs are at the top of everyone's shopping lists. 

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50% of Londoners surveyed said they would buy RSPCA Assured eggs, so I want to help remind people that it's very easy to make a big difference to the welfare of hens by only choosing eggs with a higher welfare label such as RSPCA Assured.

Thank you. Emilie Wix Head of Engagement at RSPCA Assured