Shropshire highlighted as intensive farming hotspot as campaigners call to “End the Cage Age”
Shropshire has been identified as one of the UK’s biggest hotspots for intensive livestock farming, as animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) steps up calls for a nationwide ban on cages.
New figures show Shropshire has the highest number of indoor egg‑laying hens in the entire country, with almost five and a half million birds kept indoors.
The county also has the second highest number of confined farmed animals overall, with more than 27 million factory‑farmed animals and 102 so‑called “mega farms”.
Campaigners say the figures underline the scale of intensive farming in the county, just as the Government’s consultation on the use of cage systems is due to close on 9 March.
CIWF is urging ministers to introduce a UK‑wide ban on cages and to “End the Cage Age”, particularly for hens.
While many shoppers now choose free‑range shell eggs, the charity warns that caged eggs still enter people’s diets unnoticed through processed foods.
Around seven million hens in the UK are still kept in “enriched cages” roughly the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Eggs from these systems are widely used in products such as mayonnaise, baked goods and sandwiches, often without clear labelling for consumers.
CIWF is calling for:
- A ban on installing any new cages from 2027
- A full phase‑out of existing cages by 2032
The charity says these changes would significantly improve welfare standards for millions of hens and reduce reliance on cramped, cage‑based systems.
Actor Peter Egan, known for Afterlife and Downton Abbey and a Patron of CIWF, is adding his voice to the campaign and is available for interviews as the consultation period comes to an end.
Catherine Jadav, CIWF Science Policy Advisor, who can explain why Shropshire has become such a significant problem area in the UK
Dr Marc Abraham OBE, broadcaster and award‑winning vet, who can discuss the welfare impact of keeping animals in cages barely larger than an A4 sheet of paper