PROTESTERS staged a sit-in in the egg aisle of Sainsbury's in Portswood over the treatment of hens.

Members of climate and animal group Animal Rebellion occupied the supermarket for an hour on Sunday ahead of Monday's 16-week DEFRA-prescribed ‘free-range grace period’ for English barn eggs coming to an end.

Many eggs which were previously labelled free range because they roam outside are now being reared in barns because of fears over avian flu.

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There had been a grace period in which producers were still permitted to label the eggs free range but they will now be described as barn eggs.

The protest was part of a coordinated mass action, which also took place in London, Bristol, Exeter, Sheffield, and Nottingham.

The five protesters held placards calling for the UK to adopt a ‘safer, sustainable’ plant-based food system free from the spread of zoonotic diseases, animal suffering, climate breakdown, and food shortages.

Southampton-based political candidate, Sasha Jolliffe Yasawi, 46, said: "As a society we love animals and the idea of them suffering and dying upsets us.

"Unfortunately, this is true for millions of animals in the UK, including chickens.

"The ‘free range’ and ‘RSPCA Assured’ labels mislead consumers into believing we are purchasing in accordance with our love for animals.

"We want to bring attention to a more loving alternative - a plant-based future.”

The actions followed reports of food shortages on certain items in various supermarket chains last week.

Earlier this month, supporters of the same group put up posters around Westquay asking people to put their love for animals into action on Valentine's Day by choosing a plant-based future.

Animal Rebellion is urging wholesale governmental and societal support for farmers and fishing communities to transition to a plant-based food system and programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come. 

Sainsbury’s stores were specifically targeted as the supermarket giant sells  more than 50 per cent of all RSPCA-assured products in the UK.

Sainsbury’s issued a statement saying: "We are aware of some activity at our stores and are monitoring the situation. We have a range of security measures in place to ensure our customers can shop with us safely."