Half of foodservice companies are unaware of changes in egg law

Only one in four egg buyers surveyed could accurately identify the ban on traditional battery cage eggs – despite the fact that there is less than a year before this comes into force across the EU. The EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive makes it illegal to produce eggs from conventional battery cages after 31 December 2011 and the EU egg industry is currently involved in a race against time to ensure that the Directive is fully implemented. British Lion egg producers have already converted many of their cage production units to new, animal welfare-friendly, enriched colony cages, and will meet the deadline to provide legally compliant eggs to their customers from 1 January 2012 - but producers in many other EU countries are unlikely to make the change in time. The British Lion Code of Practice is the only industry scheme to require that caged eggs meet the requirements of the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive by 1 January 2012. The Lion Code also ensures that eggs and egg products are produced to superior food safety and hygiene standards, including strict controls on feed. The UK government has said that it will seek to ban any products that do not comply with the legislation. With less than a year until the Directive is implemented across the EU, the UK egg industry is urging its customers – retailers, food manufacturers, bakers and foodservice companies - to secure supply of British Lion eggs and egg products in good time, to ensure that they are able to source legally compliant eggs and egg products after the end of the year. Clive Frampton, spokesman for British Lion Egg Processors, added: "The British industry has a simple message: don't be left with egg on your face – British Lion eggs and egg products will be compliant, so specify them now."