How to make sure the free-range eggs you're buying are really free-range These producers were all fined by the ACCC for misrepresenting their products as free-range eggs when their hens were more densely stocked than the standard of 10,000 hens per hectare and/or didn't have access to the outdoors on a regular basis. Not only did these egg producers fail to meet the government free-range egg standard - they also lied about it. Stocking density: 10,000 hens per hectare. Please note that availability of certain brands varies in supermarkets across Australia so some may not be mentioned here. If you're shopping at Woolies, here are some of the best and worst egg brands you may find in your local store. All the figures we've quoted here are based on self-declarations of maximum outdoor stocking density, provided to us either directly by egg producers or via claims on their packaging and advertising material. Here's a quick guide to the best and worst free-range eggs you'll find in supermarkets. And one free-range brand may have a very different stocking density to another. Unfortunately, it's often pretty difficult to tell which products meet the Model Code definition of free-range. Which one sounds more like free-range to you? Why it's so hard to tell which eggs are true free-range That's less than six times the government standard, and far more room for chooks to have dust baths and enjoy the fresh air – all those things that chooks love to do. In contrast, the CSIRO's Model Code of Practice says there should be a maximum of 1500 hens per hectare on an open range. The standard allows producers to pack 10,000 hens into a hectare with no requirement for the hens to actually spend any time outdoors. While the government has put a standard in place for free-range eggs, it's far from what most people would expect. If you're happy to pay a premium for free-range eggs, then you'd expect that eggs labelled 'free-range' actually come from hens that get to scratch around in the dirt and spread their wings, right? But how can you tell if your money is actually buying better conditions? The government standard vs the Model Code of Practice Go to the egg aisle these days and you'll likely be overwhelmed with choice: free-range, organic, biodynamic, RSPCA approved, pasture-raised, cage-free, barn laid.

Golden farm fresh eggs recall