Almost a quarter of all eggs sold now are laid by free-range hens — even though they cost up to four times as much as cage eggs and their claims to superior taste and nutritional benefits are debatable.
Consumers are paying up to $9.50 a dozen for free-range eggs — about $6 more than the retail price of a dozen cage eggs, according to the Australian Egg Corporation.
Despite the cost, consumption has steadily risen over the past decade and now 22pc — or nearly 45 million dozen — of all egg sales are free range.
The corporation — which represents all egg producers — said some people opted for free-range eggs because of animal welfare concerns, but customer feedback showed most were prepared to pay extra for the eggs because they believed they were more nutritious, better for health and better tasting.
However, corporation spokeswoman Jacqueline Baptista said research had shown free-range eggs were no different from those laid by caged hens.
"Our extensive research has shown there is no significant difference in nutrition or taste between both types of eggs," she said.
"Consumer feedback is that some people buy them for the welfare aspect of hens but we (believe) that it is animal husbandry that determines welfare rather than the production methods farmers use for their eggs."
Ms Baptista said caged hens often had better disease controls and protection from predators.
But the RSPCA argues that battery hens suffer from confinement in cages which do not allow them space to exercise or to carry out behaviours such as wing flapping, dust bathing and foraging.
Free-range farmers say consumers believe it is worth paying more to know the eggs have come from "contented hens that range freely during daylight hours over natural sunny pastures" and return to sheds at night for roosting and laying.
Secretary of the Free Range Egg Producers Association Wendy Pepper said she could guarantee free-range eggs tasted better.
"You break a cage egg in a dish and a free-range egg and look at the difference in the colour of the yolks," she said.
"The free-range egg has a more intense colour and that will be the answer.
"Free-range hens are out in the field, in the grass, eating natural feed while the others are fed artificial food."
Some chefs believe free-range eggs produce better results, while one US survey claims free-range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat and more vitamins A and E.
Ms Baptista said one of the reasons free-range eggs were more expensive than cage eggs was that free-range hens used up more energy and needed to eat more feed.
She said hens in cages were kept in barns and the lighting and temperature were controlled to maximise production.
"Because they don't go through the four seasons, egg production is the same all year round and that's why they can be sold at a cheaper price, while this winter there has been a shortage of free-range eggs," she said.
What is free range?
¦ Hens have unlimited access to outdoors with palatable vegetation for foraging during daylight hours.
¦ Stocking rate must not exceed 1500 hens per hectare.
¦ Beak-trimming and induced moulting prohibited.
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