UK Government Unveils Roadmap to Ban Colony Cages by 2032 and Tighten Sheep Welfare Rules

The UK Government has set out a definitive timeline for significant animal welfare reforms, launching a consultation on plans to completely phase out colony cage systems for laying hens by 2032.

Announced today (12 January), the proposals form part of the broader Animal Welfare Strategy and include simultaneous measures to tighten restrictions on painful sheep husbandry practices, specifically castration and tail docking.

The End of the 'Cage Age' for Hens

Under the new plans, the poultry sector faces a hard deadline. All colony cage systems—which currently supply just over 20% of UK shell egg production—must be phased out by 2032. This mandate extends to smaller producers, ensuring sector-wide compliance.

The government cites the restrictive nature of current systems, where up to 80 birds are housed per cage with individual space allowances no larger than an A4 sheet of paper.

The move aligns legislation with existing commercial reality; major retailers ranging from Sainsbury’s to Aldi have already committed to removing caged eggs from their supply chains. The government aims to bring regulatory baselines in line with this "widespread best practice" and public sentiment.

Lamb Welfare and Pain Management

Parallel to the poultry reforms, the government is consulting on stricter regulations for sheep farming. The proposals require farmers to take tangible steps to minimise pain during necessary mutilation practices such as castration and tail docking.

Based on advice from the independent Animal Welfare Committee, the new rules would likely mandate greater use of pain relief and improve access to alternative methods, addressing concerns that these procedures are often carried out without anaesthesia.

Stakeholder Commentary

Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle framed the reforms as a balance between ethics and economics: "We are committed to improving the lives of farm animals and to supporting farmers to produce food sustainably, profitably and to the high standards consumers expect. British consumers want high animal welfare standards and these measures reflect those values, creating healthier livestock and high welfare food production."

Anthony Field, Head of Compassion in World Farming UK, welcomed the swift action:

"We warmly welcome the UK Government’s leadership in honouring a key commitment in its Animal Welfare Strategy by swiftly launching a consultation on phasing out the use of cages for laying hens. This marks an important and long-awaited step towards ending the cage age."

Regarding the sheep welfare proposals, Field added: "Lambs are routinely subjected to painful, unnecessary mutilations... causing great suffering, so this is an extremely encouraging move."

Consultation and Next Steps

The proposals are now subject to an 8-week consultation period commencing today. This window allows farmers, industry bodies, and welfare organisations to submit views on the implementation, ensuring that impacts on trade and production are managed effectively.

This legislative push follows recent enactments including the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 and the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025.