Call for clarity on enriched cage eggs
RETAILERS who have said they will stop selling eggs from hens kept in enriched cage systems by 2025 must give their suppliers more clarity on timelines and – importantly – what will replace the current production system, the NFU said this week.
Currently 40% of shoppers buy eggs from enriched cage systems.
The NFU believes decisions made by Aldi, Tesco, Iceland, Morrisons, Sodexo, Asda and Lidl to look for alternative production methods will force the egg industry into its biggest change since the introduction of enriched cages in 2012; a move which then cost farmers in excess of £400m.
NFU poultry board chairman Duncan Priestner warned that this decision would not just impact on those using enriched cages but would have a knock-on effect on the entire egg sector.
He said: “This change will impact greatly across all egg production systems so it is absolutely imperative that we and our members have clarity over retailers’ future plans and have our concerns addressed as soon as possible.”
“We have built good relations with the retailers – UK agriculture’s biggest customer – and will be looking to those relationships to secure much needed clarification and certainty for our members. UK retailers have a very good track record on sourcing UK eggs and we look to that commitment continuing.”