Free range egg labels explain ‘temporarily housed’ hens

From:Packaging News

Labels are being applied to free range egg boxes in the UK stating that the eggs were laid by hens temporarily kept in barns to avoid the threat of bird flu.

This effectively means that millions of eggs will temporarily lose free-range status as European Union rules decree that it can only apply to birds which are housed for less than 12 weeks.

Since December, poultry has been confined to barns due to government orders to prevent any spreading of the disease.

Farmers have stressed that there is no danger to the consumer and that the eggs, with labels which say “laid by hens temporarily housed in barns for their welfare”, will look and taste the same. Marks and Spencer has promised to continue paying the free range egg price to producers who are having to keep birds indoors after the end of February.
While the emergency measures are now being relaxed, some UK farmers have chosen to keep hens inside for the birds’ protection.

Following outbreaks of bird flu in a string of EU countries at the end of 2016, housing orders have been set in place to restrict movement of poultry and contain the virus throughout Europe.

In the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) issued the housing order in anticipation, before cases were reported in Wales and Northern England.

Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “The need to change labelling of free-range egg packs after 12 weeks is an EU requirement,”
“However, these are all still free-range hens, but some are temporarily housed to protect them from bird flu.”

“Our research shows that consumers are supportive of farmers putting birds’ health first and 80% are happy to continue to pay the same price, or more, for eggs from free range flocks temporarily housed inside.”

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