Wimpy UK has announced that from the end of 2017, all own label Wimpy products and many favourite dishes, such as its Sunrise Breakfast and British Muffin, will only use products and ingredients from free range eggs.
The move underlines the company’s commitment to phasing out the use of eggs and egg ingredients from caged hens.
The decision was made after a wide-ranging review of its supply chain and discussions with franchisees.
Also, a petition was started by Trent Grassian, which was supported by almost 28,000 signatures, urging Wimpy to stop using eggs from caged hens in its 80 UK restaurants.
A Wimpy spokesman stated, “While we have always made it clear that we take animal welfare very seriously, we were also determined to ensure that before we set out a timetable for change, we wanted to be sure we could fulfil those expectations.
“This is now the case and we are very pleased to confirm that from January 2018, all our own label range – including the eggs used in our own delicious sauces - will be free range. In fact, with immediate effect, all shell eggs supplied through the Wimpy distribution channel will only be free range.
“We are further committed to switching to cage-free alternatives on the remaining small number of non-own label products that contain egg ingredients on our menu. This will be in place by 2025 at the latest, in the meantime, we will continue to work closely with our third party suppliers in order to achieve this change at the earliest opportunity.”
With more than 80 restaurants and express outlets run by its franchisees nationwide, Wimpy’s iconic brand has been a feature of British towns and cities for over 60 years.
The spokesman added, “We would like to thank our extremely loyal customers for their support during this period and to reassure them that we will continue to offer great quality food at value-for-money prices, enabling them to enjoy a fun family dining experience.”
