Tesco is to stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2025 after a teenager’s petition attracted more than 280,000 signatures.

The supermarket will follow Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer and Aldi in committing to stop selling caged hens’ eggs.

The date allows Tesco time to phase out the eggs, of which it sells around 600m a year.

Lucy Gavaghan, 14, launched a petition on Change.org urging the supermarket to stop selling caged hens’ eggs, describing the farming method as “cruel, unnatural and inhumane”. Her petition attracted 280,302 signatures.

Tesco said its announcement followed a detailed review of its egg-sourcing strategy, which included consultation with suppliers, industry experts and other key stakeholders.

The grocer said it would move to 100% cage-free eggs in favour of alternatives sourced from suppliers who use barns, free range and organic methods.

At present, 43% of the 1.4bn eggs sold by Tesco each year come from caged hens, also known as enriched colonies.

Some 57% of eggs sold by Tesco in the UK come from free range or organic methods.

Matt Simister, Tesco’s commercial director for fresh food, said: “Our decision on caged hens is one of a number of Tesco initiatives designed to ensure sustainable sourcing, and improve animal welfare.

“We carried out an extensive and collaborative review with our suppliers and key industry experts to help us work through how best we can move to 100% cage-free eggs.

“This will ensure we give our supplier partners the certainty they require, to make the significant and necessary investments needed for the new farming systems.”