Significant changes are looming in the labelling and sale of eggs in major UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Aldi, and Lidl, as announced by the government. A new directive is set to impact how egg cartons are labelled, particularly regarding the visibility of whether “free-range” hens have been confined indoors, away from their usual outdoor spaces.
The updated legislation, expected to take effect later this year, will no longer mandate egg providers to indicate periods when free-range hens are required to be housed indoors due to avian influenza alerts. During such outbreaks, even free-range hens are temporarily moved indoors to prevent the spread of the often deadly infection. The current rules allow eggs from free-range hens to retain their “free-range” label for only 16 weeks after the housing order is implemented, after which they must be labelled as barn eggs.
In response to instances where the 16-week limit was exceeded by a total of 13 weeks in previous years, leading to substantial industry costs for relabelling and repackaging, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the elimination of this restriction. This move is aimed at easing the burden on egg producers and packers and maintaining consumer confidence by ensuring continuity in labelling during mandatory housing measures.
The adjustments, to be introduced through a Statutory Instrument, will offer flexibility to continue labelling eggs as free-range throughout housing requirements. While this change streamlines processes and reduces costs for producers, consumers concerned about animal welfare may find it harder to discern whether free-range eggs come from hens that have been temporarily caged for health reasons. Despite potential implications for consumer awareness, the primary objective remains safeguarding poultry during avian flu outbreaks.
Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, emphasised the government’s aim to support egg producers through these changes, aiming to foster economic growth in rural areas and enhance food security while reinforcing nature preservation efforts. The modification seeks to strike a balance between industry needs and consumer expectations in light of evolving biosecurity requirements and disease control measures.