Galleria百, All Stores 100% Transition to Cage-Free Eggs

First Domestic Department Store to Achieve Goal One Year Early
Luxury Hall Sales Increase 20% After Cage-Free Transition

A customer is examining cage-free eggs at Gourmet 494 in the Food Hall of Galleria Department Store in Seoul.
[Photo by Galleria].

Galleria Department Store announced on the 23rd that it has become the first domestic department store to switch all eggs sold in its food halls to cage-free eggs raised through free-range farming methods.

Previously, in October 2021, Galleria had announced that it would gradually transition all its branches to 100% cage-free eggs by the end of this year. A Galleria representative explained, "The transition was completed about a year earlier than originally planned."

The Seoul Luxury Hall and Gourmet 494 Hannam switched to 100% cage-free eggs in October 2021, Daejeon Timeworld in October last year, and Gwanggyo Branch, Cheonan Center City, and Jinju Branch applied 100% cage-free eggs in January this year, successfully achieving early completion across all branches.

Currently, all eggs distributed domestically have production information indicated by numbers. The last digit represents the rearing environment. The number 1 means the chickens are raised in a free-range environment with access to outdoor runs, while 2 indicates chickens are raised freely indoors without cages. Cage-free eggs are labeled with numbers 1 or 2.

Galleria’s 100% cage-free transition is a result of increased attention to animal welfare. It is described as a change aimed at promoting ethical consumption by establishing a virtuous cycle that benefits producers through expanded sales channels. Customer response has also been positive. After switching to cage-free eggs at Galleria Luxury Hall, egg sales increased by 20% in 2022 compared to 2021.

A Galleria representative said, "As the perception that cage-free eggs are fresh and healthy spreads, the number of customers purchasing cage-free eggs continues to grow."