Food: Eggs

Baroness Byford
asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to stop imported eggs which are not free range being sold as free range eggs. [HL2834]

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker)
All eggs, except those sold at the farm gate to the final consumer, must be stamped with a code that identifies the method of production (that is, organic, free range, barn or eggs from caged hens), country of origin, and producer identification. In the case of eggs from third countries, it may be possible to use the term “farming method not specified” where equivalence has not been established by the EC.

In November 2006, Defra called on the egg industry and retailers to ensure that the eggs they are selling are correctly labelled. This followed investigations by Defra into the alleged illegal practice in the egg industry involving the incorrect labelling of eggs, including the labelling of non-free range as free range. This investigation is aimed at stopping fraud that misleads the consumer and can be damaging to the egg industry. Two people have been arrested as a result of these investigations and this is now a matter for the police.

Baroness Byford
asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many imported eggs have been sold into the United Kingdom under misleading or inaccurate labelling in the past five years. [HL2835]

Lord Rooker
The Egg Marketing Inspectorate (EMI) regularly inspects egg premises and conducts checks to ensure that the labelling on the eggs relates to the method of production. Breaches of the egg marketing regulations are acted upon. On average, there are three prosecutions for breaches of the egg marketing regulations each year.

A major investigation by Defra, the EMI and West Mercia police into an alleged egg fraud is currently under way. This investigation has revealed possible connections with imported eggs.

Baroness Byford
asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any battery-produced eggs from the European Continent have been mis-sold as organic eggs in the United Kingdom. [HL2837]

Lord Rooker
The Soil Association’s Organic Market Report 2006, under the “Multiple Retailer Imports” section, states that,

“all butter, cream, eggs and yoghurt sold were of British origin”.

All organic production of eggs in the EC must meet the European organic standards set out in Council Regulation 2092/91 (as amended). This requires registration of organic egg producers and packers with approved national organic inspection bodies. Producers and packers will be subject to at least an annual inspection from these inspection bodies.