Dr. Schär has completed a switch to using eggs exclusively from barn-raised hens in its global operations.
The gluten-free bakery specialist, which has 18 manufacturing sites across 11 countries worldwide including one in Glasgow, said its latest result confirms a long-standing commitment to responsible sourcing.
“Achieving the exclusive use of cage-free eggs in all our sites represents a key milestone in Dr. Schär’s vision,” said Hannes Berger, CEO of Dr. Schär. “This is not just a production milestone, but a concrete commitment to a more sustainable future, combining quality, animal welfare and responsibility toward our consumers.
“We will continue to innovate and guide the value chain, demonstrating that sustainability and quality can go hand in hand,” Berger added.
Dr. Schär highlighted how a cage-free approach – whereby hens are allowed to roam and live more as nature intended – is increasingly valued by consumers across Europe, nearly 90% of whom support stricter animal welfare laws [BEUC survey, 2024].
The UK performs particularly well, it noted, but progress remains uneven across the continent – more than a third of hens (38/1%) are still raised in enriched cages [OWA report, 2024], as permitted by under Directive 1999/74/EC. To drive further improvement, the European Commission is considering a legislative update, expected by the end of 2026, that could introduce a complete ban on all cage systems.
Anticipating these developments, in 2016 Dr. Schär began extending the transition to cage-free eggs to countries where such systems are not yet the standard.
Dr. Schär headquarters are located in the mountainous Italian province of South Tyrol, with manufacturing sites in Germany, Austria, Spain, France, the UK, the US, Brazil, Turkey, Argentina, and Sweden. It added a UK manufacturing base through the acquisition of Glasgow-based allergen-free bread maker GDR in 2022.
The company produces a range of gluten-free bakery items with those sold in the UK including loaves, rolls, buns, flatbreads, crispbread, pastries, panettone, pizzas, crackers, cookies, muffins, biscuits, and cake. Dr. Schär’s UK division enjoyed its most profitable year on record in 2024, hitting turnover of £45.1m with 28% growth in its foodservice channel and a 7% rise in retail sales.
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