Victorian farm fined for not meeting free-range standards

A Victorian egg producer has paid almost $40,000 in penalties for falsely claiming its eggs were free range.

Doreen Egg Farm, which is based on the outskirts of Melbourne, paid $39,600 in penalties after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued two infringement notices.

Doreen Egg admitted it sold eggs labelled as "free range" despite its hens not having access to an outdoor range, as required under Free Range Egg Labelling Information Standard.

Under the Australian Consumer Law standard released in 2018, eggs cannot be labelled "free range" unless they were laid by hens that have meaningful and regular access to an outdoor range during the day and can roam and forage outside.

A free-range egg farm cannot be stocked with more than 10,000 hens per hectare.

More than 8000 egg cartons mislabelled

Free-range eggs cost up to $6 a dozen more than caged eggs.

The ACCC said approximately 8,600 cartons of mislabelled eggs were sold in May and June 2025 through two wholesalers, 30 small retailers and direct farm-gate sales.

Doreen Egg also admitted it sold eggs in cartons displaying the Australian Eggs Ltd logo, which is the industry's peak body.

The ACCC said this logo suggested, "the business had sponsorship or approval from the organisation when it did not."

ACCC deputy chair, Mick Keogh, said the two breaches were serious because consumers need to trust food labelling.

"Consumers who are making that purchasing decision value the fact the hens have been subject to or managed under free range conditions, and are prepared to pay for it,"

Mr Keogh said.

"This is the fifth action we have taken in relation to the free-range egg standard,

"If we breach consumers' trust in that regard, then they will no longer be prepared to pay that and the market as a whole will suffer," Mr Keogh said.

In a court-enforceable undertaking given to the ACCC, Doreen Egg admitted it engaged in conduct likely to contravene the Australian Consumer Law.

The company also committed to independently review its compliance processes, let consumers know about its misrepresentations, update packaging and traceability systems and conduct staff training.

"This particular producer was prepared to admit to the breach, prepared to pay the fines, and adopt a court enforceable undertaking that includes independent audits and inspection over the next few years," Mr Keogh said.

Doreen Egg was contacted for comment.

Bird flu exemption

In November 2024, the ACCC published guidance stating it would not take enforcement action for up to 90 days if a government-mandated housing order required free-range poultry producers to keep chickens indoors during a bird flu outbreak.

Victoria has suffered bird flu outbreaks in the past two years, but Doreen Egg's mislabelling conduct did not occur during a mandated housing order.

"Our guidance is intended to give producers certainty during a disease outbreak, but it does not change the requirement to comply with the free-range standard when no housing order applies," Mr Keogh said.