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An investigation has revealed that millions of eggs were sold as free-range, but were actually laid by caged hens. The Newroom.co.nz investigation reports that eggs packaged as Palace Poultry, and sold at Countdown before this year, were actually caged eggs in free range cartons.
Countdown Supermarket has this morning removed all Palace Poultry products from its shelves. And the supermarket chain says it's in discussion with the Ministry for Primary Industries.
But free-range pioneer, Rob Darby, says he's not surprised. And he says he thinks about 90 per cent of free range chickens 'don't see the light of day'. Rob Darby runs boutique free-range farmers Frenz and he's been farming free-range since the 1980's.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly