Victorian farm fined $40,000 for mislabelling free-range eggs

Doreen Egg Farm, located on the outskirts of Melbourne, has paid $39,600 in penalties for selling eggs falsely advertised as free-range. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued two infringement notices after the farm's hens were found to lack the required access to an outdoor range.

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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.

Under the 2018 Free Range Egg Labelling Information Standard, eggs can only be labelled "free-range" if hens have regular, meaningful access to an outdoor area during the day for roaming and foraging. The standard also limits stocking density to 10,000 hens per hectare. The ACCC reported that approximately 8,600 cartons of mislabelled eggs were sold through wholesalers, retailers, and direct sales in May and June 2025.

ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh highlighted the seriousness of the breaches, emphasizing that consumers rely on accurate labelling and are willing to pay a premium for free-range eggs. "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," Keogh stated. This marks the fifth enforcement action taken by the ACCC concerning the free-range egg standard.

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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.

Doreen Egg has admitted to conduct likely contravening Australian Consumer Law and has entered into a court-enforceable undertaking. This includes independently reviewing its compliance processes, informing consumers of the misrepresentations, updating packaging and traceability systems, and conducting staff training. The company's mislabelling did not occur during a bird flu outbreak that might have necessitated keeping chickens indoors under a government-mandated housing order.

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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.