Lack of regulation

Cage-free, free-range or pasture-raised? Know the difference

There are a lot of marketing terms flying around when it comes to high welfare eggs and poultry. You may have read terms like cage-free, free-range and pasture-raised on eggs or chicken. But do you know the difference between these terms?

Lack of regulation

How humane are your eggs?

A lot of countries and regions strictly regulate what terms companies can use in marketing high welfare eggs and poultry, like the US, EU, Australia and Canada. Some countries also have independent governing bodies who issue certificates that help consumers make informed decisions. However, other countries are more lax and don’t strictly regulate or specify marketing labels. As a result, consumers get mixed messages and may not always get the whole story.

In general, cage-free only means that the animals don’t live in cages. The term doesn’t indicate how much space they are allowed to roam on. It could be big, or it could be small, like the large, crammed, indoor barns we often see in pictures.

Shade is important for healthy chickens

Similarly, free-range means different things in different countries. In the US, the term free-range is governed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It stipulates that the chicken must have free access to outdoor space. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the chicken will spend time outside, nor does it say anything about the condition of the outdoor space, such as the flooring, for example.

The golden standard

It’s natural for a chicken to pick the ground for seeds and bugs to eat

Pasture-raised, on the other hand, is considered the gold standard. The term means the chickens have ample space to roam, and a covered area for protection.

Unfortunately, Thailand doesn’t regulate these terms. The vast majority of eggs and chickens sold in wet markets and supermarkets fall into the caged or cage-free category. At Sloane’s we personally visit and wet the farms we work with. We make sure the chickens have ample space to move around freely.