Fairness in egg supply chain to be reviewed
31st October 2023
The government has announced a review to end unfair practices in the egg supply chain.
The review, announced by the government today (31st October), will seek input from industry stakeholders on issues such as transparency, clarity of contractual terms and conditions, and data from the supply chain.
Announcing the review, food and farming secretary Thérèse Coffey said: “Producers should be paid a fair price for their high-quality produce, which is why we are committed to ensure there is fairness across food supply chains.
“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. I would now encourage all stakeholders from across the industry to take part in this review to ensure their voices are heard.”
The move has been welcomed by industry groups including the British Egg Industry Council. Deputy chief executive Gary Ford said:
“The review will focus on understanding how the contractual arrangements within the sector currently function, and whether there is the need for further legislation to oversee the relationship between producers and buys where necessary and facilitate a fairer and more transparent supply chain.”
Meanwhile, Robert Gooch, CEO of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association said: “BFREPA has been calling for a review of egg supply agreements for producers for some time and welcomes this consultation on fairness in the egg supply chain.
“The consultation on the workings of the egg supply chain is needed to provide further stability for the sector and to ensure that there is no repeat of egg shortages in the future”.
The views of egg producers, packers, processors, retailers and other stakeholders involved in the egg supply chain will be considered as part of the review, which will run until 22nd December.
