Britain is currently facing an egg supply problem – the rampant avian flu and hugely increased costs are hampering production. Supermarkets are therefore already rationing sales: the retail giant Tesco only allows three packages per customer, previously Asda and Lidl had already issued similar restrictions. Pub chain JD Wetherspoons said egg dishes have been eliminated or replaced with other foods in some branches.
“We are struggling to get the necessary supplies to meet demand in all pubs,” a company spokesman said. Poultry prices have risen enormously. Boerenbond NFU called on the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment to investigate the problems in the supply chain.
Largest avian flu outbreak to date
More than 750,000 chickens have been culled since the beginning of October alone to slow the spread of avian flu, according to the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA). Since November 7, all poultry in England must remain in pens and aviaries. This is the UK’s largest outbreak to date, with more than 200 confirmed cases, according to the Department for the Environment.
Bird flu is also hitting turkeys – making it a traditional Christmas meal for many Britons. Nearly a third of the annual turkey production of 11 million animals was killed, the Daily Mail reported at the end of October.
Bottlenecks probably until after Christmas
The association BFREPA criticized that the lack of eggs was also due to retailers not paying farmers sustainable prices despite increasing consumer demand. Chicken feed costs have risen by 50 percent and energy bills by 40 percent since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A third of members have reduced production or left the industry because they could not cover their costs, an association spokesman said. The shortage will certainly last until after Christmas. A total of 11.3 billion eggs were produced in the UK in 2021, with a further 1.4 billion eggs imported. Per capita consumption was 202 eggs per year.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
