Asda and Lidl had previously 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 supplies we need 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.
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.
With more than 200 confirmed cases, it is Britain’s largest outbreak to date, 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 culled, the Daily Mail reported at the end of October.
Farmers cannot cover the costs
The association BFEPRA 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.
(SDA)