Misperceptions in egg sourcing: consumer perception and willingness to pay for cage-free eggs in Indonesia

Format of work:

Conference Presentation

Event presented at / Journal Name:

11th International Seminar on Tropical Animal Production 2025 (ISTAP-XI 2025) / IOP Conf. Series

Speaker / Contact Author's Name:

Indra Wahyu Pratama

Speaker / Contact Author's E-mail Address:

indrawahyupratama14@gmail.com

Research aim:

This study aimed to examine Indonesian consumers’ understanding of how the eggs they purchase are produced, particularly whether they come from cage-free or conventional cage systems. It also investigated consumer preferences for cage-free production and their willingness to adopt and pay more for eggs produced under farming systems that better support hen welfare.

Background:

Egg consumption is increasing in Indonesia, alongside growing public concern about how farm animals are raised. However, around 95% of the country’s eggs are still produced using conventional cage systems, while consumer understanding of the differences between cage and cage-free production remains limited. Cage-free systems allow hens greater freedom to express natural behaviours but generally involve higher production costs and retail prices. Understanding consumer perceptions, purchasing preferences, and willingness to pay is therefore important for developing effective education, transparent labelling, and a viable market for higher-welfare eggs.

Approach:

The study used a consumer survey involving 575 respondents in Indonesia. Participants answered questions about their egg-purchasing habits, understanding of cage-free and conventional production systems, and willingness to pay more for cage-free eggs. They were also shown images representing different housing systems to assess their preferences. The responses were analysed to identify consumer knowledge gaps, perceptions of hen welfare, preferred production environments, and factors influencing the potential adoption of cage-free eggs.

Key finding:

Nearly half (46.22%) of Indonesian consumers who bought conventional eggs mistakenly believed their eggs came from cage-free farms, revealing a major information gap about how laying hens are raised. Yet demand for higher-welfare options is promising: 44.70% of the 575 people surveyed were willing to pay more for cage-free eggs, while 96.70% preferred images of hens in cage-free environments. Clear product labelling, transparent sourcing, public education, and affordable pricing could help consumers make informed choices and encourage Indonesia’s transition towards egg production that better supports hen welfare.

Industry or policy relevance:

Indonesia’s cage-free egg market has strong growth potential, but consumer misconceptions and affordability remain major barriers. Government and industry should introduce clear, verifiable production-system labelling and improve supply-chain transparency so buyers can distinguish cage-free eggs from conventional products. Public education on hen welfare should accompany these measures. Producers and retailers can use the demonstrated willingness to pay to expand cage-free offerings, while improving efficiency and accessibility to prevent higher prices from excluding consumers. Collaboration among policymakers, businesses, farmers, and civil society will be essential to support a credible and inclusive transition towards higher-welfare egg production.

Route for practical application:

The findings can be applied through clearer, independently verified labelling that identifies how laying hens are housed, supported by transparent sourcing throughout the egg supply chain. Government agencies, producers, retailers, and animal-welfare organisations can use targeted public education to explain cage-free production and hen welfare. Producers and retailers can also test affordable cage-free product ranges and communicate their benefits at the point of sale. Monitoring consumer understanding, purchasing behaviour, and price sensitivity can guide gradual market expansion and policy development.

Confidence in findings and next steps towards realising impact:

Confidence in the findings is supported by the relatively large sample of 575 Indonesian consumers and the consistency between respondents’ stated preferences, willingness to pay, and strong preference for images of cage-free environments. However, the results should be interpreted with some caution because survey responses may not fully predict actual purchasing behaviour, and the sample may not represent all Indonesian consumers, particularly across different regions and socioeconomic groups. The next step is to validate these findings through larger, nationally representative studies and real-world market trials that measure actual purchases at different price points. Research should also examine how verified labels, welfare information, product availability, and consumer education influence purchasing decisions. Collaboration with government agencies, egg producers, retailers, certification bodies, researchers, and animal-welfare organisations will be important for developing credible labelling standards and transparent supply chains. Pilot programmes in retail settings could then test practical approaches before wider implementation.

Funders:

Animal Friends Jogja

Links to Open Access Publications or DOI:

Citation:

Indra Wahyu Pratama, Suciparamitasari Syahlani, Elly Mangunsong, and Monique Silvia Van Der Harst. “Misperceptions in Egg Sourcing: Consumer Perception and Willingness to Pay for Cage-Free Eggs in Indonesia.” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1625, article 012030, 2026. 10.1088/1755-1315/1625/1/012030