Changing Hearts and Minds

In the last issue of Chicken & Egg we launched our new campaign, SIZE MATTERS, which is about encouraging consumers to purchase mixed weight eggs, thereby relieving laying hens in the UK from the burden of producing a daily whopper.

Well, we’ve come a long way since the launch and I’m delighted to report that we have enjoyed some excellent coverage on the campaign including:

• An appearance on ITV Regional News across the country; this primetime coverage involved our BHWT volunteers from all ITV regions being interviewed, as well as a farmer who was more than happy to explain why she wanted her hens to be able to lay naturally without pressure for large eggs, and a representative from The Guild of Food Writers, which added further weight to the piece.

• An article in BBC Good Food magazine. BBC Good Food then also committed to remove all historical reference in recipes to large eggs, although this will take time as it’s a mammoth task.

• An extensive article in The Smallholder magazine.

• Articles in The Guardian, Farmers’ Weekly and other regional press.

• delicious. magazine followed up in July by covering the story.

• In April, Jane took part in a radio discussion with the CEO of the British Free Range Egg Producers’ Association on the topic reaching tens of thousands more people.

• In July we learnt that one of our wonderful supporters managed, single-handedly, to change policy within the clothing retailer, Joules!

It’s been a great success to date and we can change hearts and minds on this simple problem further afield. Obviously there is so much more work to be done; we will be writing to more publications, lobbying supermarkets and generally getting out the messaging that mixed weight eggs are far better; better for consumers, better for farmers and most importantly better for hens. We’ll keep you posted on our progress.