Hoads Farm: Supermarkets boycott farm over welfare claims

About 150 activists had occupied Hoads Farm in East Sussex

Supermarket giants are boycotting a free-range egg farm while claims hens were living in unsanitary conditions are investigated.

A video allegedly showing ill birds and rotting bodies at Hoads Farm, near Hastings, East Sussex, was posted online by animal activists on Monday.

Ethical food label RSPCA Assured has said it will investigate.

Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's all said they would not be using the farm until the probe has concluded.

Hoads has been contacted for a comment.

The RSPCA sent a farm livestock officer to the farm on Wednesday, and said a flock of birds seen was "in good health, with good feather cover", and its investigation was ongoing.

A Tesco spokesman said: "These are deeply disturbing and unacceptable images.

"We expect all brands sold at Tesco to uphold high animal welfare standards and will closely review the results of the investigations into this farm."

Sainsbury's added: "The welfare of our animals is extremely important."

'Liberated'

The RSPCA previously said it had "very serious concerns" about some of the hens shows in the secret filming, but Hoads Farm said its standards met both EU law and those set by RSPCA Assured and BEIC Lion standard.

About 150 activists from Direct Action Everywhere occupied the farm on Monday, demanding the release of 100 hens.

About nine hours later, the activists were filmed leaving cradling 50 "liberated" chickens in their arms.

Hoads Farm previously said its standards met both EU law and those set by RSPCA Assured and BEIC Lion standard.

A spokesman said it had invited the RSPCA to visit and to confirm "all necessary" free range standards were being met, and a vet had been on site on Monday afternoon and "identified no issues".

He added the footage was "in no way reflective of our farms and/or the welfare of our hens" and that "all sites are routinely visited by independent bodies both announced and unannounced to ensure standards are maintained".

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