Greater transparency for consumers, to steer the market towards informed choices and bring closer the end of cages in farming: this is the request of the associations belonging to the ETCA coalition who, today, at the Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies during the press conference “The end of cages: opportunities and challenges to support the transition of the livestock sector in Italy” (the recording is available here).
This request had been transposed into an amendment to the 2025 Budget Law, supported by all opposition parties, aimed at introducing a distinctive mark to identify products from cage-free supply chains within the specific labelling framework of the “National Quality System for Animal Welfare” (SQNBA), which will itself already be active on the market from next year. However, the amendment was deemed inadmissible by the Budget Committee.
After the greeting from the Vice President of the Chamber, Hon. Sergio Costa, speakers included MPs Hon. Eleonora Evi (PD) and Hon. Giulia Pastorella (Azione), and MPs Hon. Alessandro Caramiello (M5S) and Hon. Devis Dori (AVS), with moderation by Cristina Del Tutto, director of Radio Parlamentare. Also present was Hon. Benedetto Della Vedova (+Europa), among the signatories of the amendment.
The introduction of a “cage-free” mark in the SQNBA (“National Quality System for Animal Welfare”) labelling, in addition to representing a fundamental element of transparency for consumers, would give visibility to products from farms that do not use cages, thereby enhancing the work of those agri-food companies (in Italy and in Europe) that are investing in a transition towards more animal-friendly systems.
At present, there are over 1,400 food companies in Europe that have already eliminated or have committed to eliminating the use of cages for laying hens, and others have made this commitment for sows and rabbits.
«We are surprised and dismayed that the amendment for the creation of the ‘cage-free’ label has been declared inadmissible – the associations state – Whether it was an oversight or a mere formal error, it would be inexplicable to miss the opportunity, at almost zero cost, to improve the conditions of farmed animals and, above all, to bring out of the shadows and anonymity the commitment of the many Italian agri-food companies that are gradually eliminating cages from their supply chains. To do so, these companies have made investments at their own expense, and the least that Parliament and the Government can do is allow them to make their products distinguishable from those that come from caged animals. This oversight does not close the matter — we expect that the political battle for the recognition of this important instrument of justice and transparency will, with any necessary amendments, be taken up and won by the entire Parliament starting with this Budget Law».
Numbers and reality of caged animals
In Europe, every year, over 300 million animals farmed for food purposes — of which 40 million in Italy — spend their entire lives in cages. These animals live in overcrowded conditions, with no possibility of expressing natural behaviours, such as turning around or stretching. The images shown during the event, taken from a recent investigation by Compassion in World Farming, showed rabbits confined in tiny cages, unable to make basic movements, shedding light on a reality that is still legal but profoundly cruel. Consumers are increasingly attentive to animal welfare and know that cage farming is incompatible with a dignified life, and for this reason they are calling for transparency.
Growing awareness among consumers
In Italy, public interest in animal welfare is growing, as shown by the 2023 Eurobarometer — according to which 93% of Italian citizens consider it important that farmed animals have enough space to move, lie down and stand up — and the survey conducted by Youtrend/Quorum for the Vote4Animals campaign, ahead of last June’s European elections, according to which 3 in 4 people would like to see an end to the cruel practices widespread in intensive farming.