Insufficient supply prevents Costco Wholesale Corp. from committing to offering eggs only from cage-free hens, a company official said Friday.

Costco closely monitors its egg suppliers, said Craig Jelinek, executive vice president and chief operating officer for merchandising. Supply and consumer demand will determine the future source of Costco's eggs, he said.

A different Costco executive said this week that the company had set a goal of offering eggs only from cage-free hens.

A Humane Society of the United States official said a Costco executive described that goal during a Jan. 31 private session before the company's annual shareholders meeting at its Issaquah, Wash., headquarters.

U.S. egg farmers don't produce enough from cage-free hens to satisfy Costco's need, and the future supply is unpredictable, Jelinek said, explaining the 504-store chain's difficulty in declaring a cage-free-only policy.

Source: Oregon Live.com