Shoppers issued huge new warning over eggs - ‘serious food safety risk’
Egg imports to the UK have risen by 60% in the last five years (Image: Getty)Shoppers have been warned of "real and urgent risks" linked to a rise in egg imports, with foreign producers undercutting domestic farmers and food safety rules. Egg imports from countries including Ukraine, many of which use conventional battery farming methods, have risen 60% since 2021, prompting calls for stronger border controls to protect British producers and consumers.Dr Lisa Ackerley, a food safety expert who reviewed egg import controls for the British Egg Industry Council's (BEIC) Shell Shocked report, said that imports often fall short of the world-leading British Lion Code of Practice and are not subject to rigorous inspections.As a result, they pose a "serious food safety risk" to vulnerable groups, including pregnant women and children, for whom the national quality assurance scheme is Food Standards Authority (FSA) approved.Eggs produced outside the UK tend to have lower welfare standards (Image: Getty)Nick Allen, chief executive of the BEIC, said: "Any consumer would be appalled at what the Government is doing to undermine their safety. More than 90% of eggs produced in the UK are covered by the British Lion Code of Practice, one of the most comprehensive food safety schemes in the world. British farmers have invested hundreds of millions of pounds to meet these standards, including vaccination against Salmonella and not using conventional battery cages."He added: "Allowing lower standard imports to undercut UK egg producers is not protectionism, it risks undermining consumer safety, public confidence in eggs and the resilience of our domestic food supply."Shell Shocked linked the surge in imports, now averaging 1.6 billion eggs per year, to a series of egg-related food safety incidents, including 123 confirmed illnesses in the UK in late 2025, traced to a single imported egg distributor of unconfirmed origin.Among the strict requirements followed by domestic egg producers in line with the British Lion Code of Practice are vaccination of hens, traceability, strict hygiene and Salmonella testing.David Friday, of Chequer Tree Farm in Cranbrook, Kent, told the Express: "Britain should not sleepwalk into dependence on imported eggs and egg products. Many consumers assume eggs are British, yet in processed foods, catering and food service, the origin is often far less clear than people realise."British producers meet high standards on welfare, traceability and food safety, which rightfully come at a cost. Yet imports from countries such as Ukraine can enter the market under different regulatory systems and at a lower cost. British farmers should not be expected to compete on an uneven playing field."The spike in imports has been accompanied by growing demand for eggs, with the average Briton consuming 209 in 2025, 45 more than in 2005.Usage, especially in hospitality and processed foods, has shifted to egg imports as British farmers contend with cost hikes and bird flu, which is shrinking the domestic hen population.The high percentage of imports from Ukraine is also linked to Britain's removal of tariffs and quotas on agricultural imports from the war-torn region after Russia's invasion in 2022. While the European Union reimposed levies last year, the UK extended the tariff-free deal until 2028 in January.If nothing else, the Government should commit to implementing stronger border checks to ensure the health of UK consumers is not jeopardised, and the hard work of domestic producers is not in vain, Mr Allen said."It's time for the Government to act in the interest of consumers and ensure that any eggs and egg products entering the UK meet our standards," he added.A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "This government shares the public’s high regard for our high domestic welfare standards, and we recognise concerns about methods of production which are not permitted in the UK."In our approach to trade, we will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, we will be prepared to use the full range of powers at our disposal to protect our most sensitive sectors."
