Okay, so what came first…the chicken or the cage?
In a changing trend on cruise ships, eggs from chickens are good. Eggs from cages are not — that is, from chickens in cages.
It’s all part of what has become a phrase that’s becoming familiar: cage-free eggs. The two biggest cruise companies in the world, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, have joined the national…er, movement, by cleansing their cupboards of cagey eggs.
The news was announced the other day by the Humane Society of the United States, to the relief of crowded chickens everywhere. It’s the latest step in eradicating big chickens in small houses, and if you don’t think this is a mushrooming trend, listen to this:
Burger King now uses only cage-free eggs. Also Hardee’s, Denny’s, Carl’s Jr., Subway and Wendy’s. Also Wal-Mart and Costco. In Michigan and California, it’s the law. By 2015, every egg in California must come from more-comfortable chickens.
The cruise lines are acting accordingly. Royal Caribbean plans to switch 3.2 million eggs to cage-free, although we’re not quite sure “switching” is the right word, and next year that number jumps to 6.8 million. Carnival is “converting” two million eggs…again, an unusual verb to use. Estimates are it will spare 30,000 hens from living in an egg ghetto.
But when cruise lines No. 1 and 2 change the policy, what do you think it means? That the pressure’s on No. 3 (Norwegian) to do the same thing?
Eggsactly.