The Italian parliament has rubber stamped a new law that will ban the practice of male chick culling from 2026.
The move follows a two year campaign by NGOs in Italy to publicise the practice among consumers and politicians.
Assoavi, the trade body representing the largest egg producers in Italy, said it would work to promote the introduction of in-ovo sexing technologies in Italy, as has happened in Germany, which banned chick culling in January this year.
Coop, the largest grocery retailer in Italy, said in a statement on its website that it would introduce in-ovo sexing technologies as soon as possible.