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Protest held in Pukekohe to ban all cage eggs

14:21 pm on 16 April 2016

A protest has been taking place in Pukekohe, south of Auckland, calling for Countdown to permanently ban cage-eggs.

It comes after an investigation by Farmwatch revealed a Waikato farm had hens packed into filthy, overcrowded cages and were laying fresh eggs on the rotting bodies of their cagemates.

Countdown has since pulled the eggs from the Putaruru egg farm.

But Animal rights group Ban Chicken Layer Cages, which organised today's protest, says it is urging Countdown to go a step further and go cage free completely.

Spokesperson Peta Barry said today's protest sent a strong message to the retailer.

"We've got about 40 or 50 people, who are all passionate about animal welfare, so they're all busy telling everyone what they think about the use of colony cages, and suggesting that Countdown should name a date to go cage free, like they actually intended to."