Two-thirds (67%) of British people say they would pay more for eggs that come from hens that don’t have to live in cages.

The poll, carried out by More in Common, says shoppers would be happy to pay around 6p more on their weekly shop for all UK hens to be cage free and live a better life.

Now, some of the UK’s largest food companies – including Waitrose, Greggs and M&S – have joined international animal welfare and environmental charity Compassion in World Farming, to call for an end to using cages to keep the birds in.

Around eight million hens in the UK spend their entire lives confined in cages, unable to properly carry out natural activities such as nesting, perching, foraging and scratching.