The review sought input on transparency, clarity of contractual terms and conditions and data from the supply chain.
In December 2022, the NFU called on Defra to investigate the egg supply chain amid a backdrop of rapidly increasing input costs, avian influenza and the war in Ukraine. Increasing pressures led to a combination of constrained supply and higher demand resulting in issues around availability of eggs in some stores for some retailers.
“Reform is long overdue,” said NFU Poultry Board chair James Mottershead. Almost one billion fewer eggs were packed in the UK in 2022 compared to 2019.
He added: “It is critical that appropriate steps are taken by all stakeholders, including the government, to improve fairness and transparency in the egg supply chain, so that volatility and enormously challenging market conditions are avoided in the future.
“Transparency and trust are key to improving producer confidence and the sharing of risk and reward more fairly throughout the supply chain will ensure a consistent supply of high-quality, nutritious and affordable poultry products that we know the British public desire”.