Egg supply chain review – have your say

03 November 2023

Defra has launched its long-awaited review into the UK egg supply chain and the NFU wants to hear from poultry members to help form its response.

Almost a year ago 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 last year compared to 2019.

Defra’s review seeks input on transparency, clarity of contractual terms and conditions and data from the supply chain.

“I urge all egg producers to have their say in this government consultation to give us the best chance of enacting much-needed change,” James added.

Opinion

Why it’s important to have your say on the government’s egg supply chain review

NFU members can feed into the NFU's response directly by filling in one of our feedback forms below.

Egg producers:

Consultation

Egg producers: have your say on the supply chain

03 November 2023

Open until 11 December 2023

Egg packers or producer & packer business:

Consultation

Egg packers or producer & packer businesses: have your say on the supply chain

03 November 2023

Open until 11 December 2023

31 October 2023

Government launches review to increase fairness in the egg supply chain

Following extensive NFU lobbying, Defra has announced that it will be conducting a review into ending unfair practices in the egg supply chain.

It follows on from a commitment made earlier in the year by the Prime Minister at the Farm to Fork Summit in Downing Street.

“At the Farm to Fork summit in May, the government pledged to support the farmers by undertaking a review into the egg sector to ensure fairness moving forward,” said Defra Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey.

“I would now encourage all stakeholders from across the industry to take part in this review to ensure their voices are heard.”

The NFU will be responding to the review and wants to hear from you. You can contribute your views directly using one of our forms above before 11 December 2023. Please choose the form relevant to your business type.

You can also submit your views directly to Defra at: GOV.UK | Contractual relationships in the UK egg industry before 22 December 2023.

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Once you have submitted your query someone from NFU CallFirst will contact you. If needed, your query will then be passed to the appropriate NFU policy team.

Summary

31 October 2023: Defra launches its consultation on contractual relationships in the UK egg industry.