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Spain's supermarket giant throws its weight behind major animal welfare move
The supermarket's leading egg supplier plans to eliminate cages across its farms in Spain within four years
Mercadona, still Spain's favourite supermarket, is throwing its weight behind a major animal welfare shift after its leading egg supplier committed €200 million to eliminating cages from its chicken farms.
Huevos Guillén, the Valencia-based producer that supplies the vast majority of its eggs to Mercadona, plans to remove cages completely from its farms and supply chain within four years.
The investment will be spread across the period, with around €116 million going in during 2026 and 2027, followed by a further €84 million over the two years after that.
Huevos Guillén is aiming for 100% of its fresh egg production to be cage-free by 2028, provided it receives the necessary permits on time.
It's a significant step for a company that already runs one of the largest cage-free egg operations in Spain, and it comes as more shoppers pay closer attention to how their food is produced and where it comes from.
By the end of this year, Huevos Guillén expects to have around 6.13 million laying hens, up by 675,000 compared with 2025. Around 80% of those hens will be kept in alternative, cage-free systems, compared with 73% last year and 60% in 2024. The company expects that percentage to keep climbing until cages are phased out for good.
Around 93% of Huevos Guillén's cage-free eggs end up on Mercadona's shelves, so the change is likely to be felt by a huge number of households across Spain as it rolls out.Huevos Guillén expects its flock to grow to around 10 million hens by 2030 as production capacity expands further.
Financially, the company is heading for a record year too, with turnover forecast at around €385 million in 2026. That would be an 18% rise on the €326 million recorded in 2025, and almost 47% higher than the €262 million turnover from 2024.
The move comes amid growing pressure across Europe to keep farm animals out of cages altogether. The European Commission confirmed in July that it plans to introduce a ban on cages for laying hens and broiler chickens, along with a separate measure covering sows.
That decision followed years of campaigning by animal welfare groups and the European Citizens' Initiative End the Cage Age, which was backed by 1.4 million people across Europe and more than 170 organisations.
For many shoppers, this is part of a broader change in how people think about food. Where an egg comes from, and how the hen that laid it was kept, is increasingly factoring into buying decisions rather than being something people overlook.
With Mercadona relying so heavily on Huevos Guillén for its eggs, shoppers across Spain could start noticing the difference every time they open the fridge.
Images: Freepik
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Paraje El Espinar, Fuente Alamo Murcia, Mobile: +34 676 39 44 31
Mountain View Kennels, Dog kennels and cattery offering short and long-term stays near Fuente Álamo. Nucleus Zoological Licence Holders ES300210440037. Dog training grooming services and a private pet villa.
Open for business as usual. Training advice, classes, grooming services still given. Collection and delivery service available.
Do you need your dog exercised? Large exercise paddock complete with pick up and drop off if required.
Mountain View Kennels is an established family-run business in the countryside just outside Fuente Álamo, and is a fully Registered Zoological Nucleus kennels and cattery for pets operating in the south-west of Murcia since 2005.
In addition, owner Gill Lovegrove 
is a specialist dog trainer and behaviourist, and offers her services either on the premises or through home visits to all owners of troublesome pets.
The key to the success of Mountain View Kennels is that each boarder is viewed as another family pet in the extensive grounds and pens: dogs are not only housed and fed, they are also walked, and offered cuddles, toys and the chance to play. During the day they are free to roam around the eight main play areas equipped with trees, tunnels, toys and shelters, but they always have the option of returning to their own large play area or kennel.
In total there are 20 individual kennels, all fully tiled and with large runs, and each is spacious enough for four large dogs (or a family group) if required although they are also available to individual pets: dogs belonging to different owners are not housed together.
At the disposal of cats are eight individual catteries offering upstairs and downstairs accommodation and outside runs.
Owners are asked to bring their own food and treats to ensure all pets remain comfortable and avoid digestive upset. Mountain View are happy to administer any medication needed.
It is essential for all pets to be fully vaccinated on arrival at the clinic (as well as wormed and protected against fleas), and vaccination records are kept on the premises during the pets’ stay, not only in case there is an inspection but also in case the need for veterinary treatment arises (two local vets in Fuente Álamo are on 24—hour call).
In order to make life as easy as possible for owners as they plan a trip away, the Mountain View Kennels and Cattery is only 10 minutes from Region of Murcia International Airport in Corvera.
Gill and the rest of the staff are very knowledgeable about all breeds of dog, and work tirelessly with local charities and animal foundations to help treat, care for and re-house lost and abandoned dogs. This caring attitude is one of the reasons for prices being kept as competitive as possible, including as they do two meals a day and not specifying any minimum or maximum length of stay.
Training services are also offered. Put all of these ingredients together, along with the reassurance given by the fully legal and licensed status of the company, and the result is a successful business which is built on reputation and customers who repeat year after year, fully satisfied with the complete, professional and caring service provided. Testimony to this is that the boarders at the kennels are not only from the area close to Fuente Álamo but also from places such as Alhama, Librilla, Caravaca de la Cruz, Mula, Bullas and La Azohía!
