Free range eggs ‘will run out by March’ because of bird flu crisis, MP warns

Eggs shortage could drag out until Christmas 2023

Free range eggs could ‘run out by March’ (PA Archive)

Free range eggs could run out by March 2023 as the UK has been hit with the worst avian flu outbreak on record.

Health chiefs in Britain have already had to cull 4 million birds this year because of the influenza outbreak.

On 7 November, they ordered all kept birds to be locked down in a bid to stop the spread of the disease.

And if hens have been indoors for 16 weeks or more, their eggs can no longer be marketed as free range.

From 27 February, this means farmers would have to change labels on their eggs to call them barn eggs.

There are fears the shortage could drag out until Christmas next year.

Some supermarkets are already rationing eggs so customers can only buy a certain number of boxes at a time.

This particular strain of bird flu, (HPAI) H5N1, is highly contagious and leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of birds every day, either because they catch it or because they have to be culled to prevent further spread.

Labour MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood, Cat Smith, said in a Westminster debate on Wednesday: “It’s likely that we will breach that 16-week grace period at the moment because of the state of the influenza outbreak.

“And I’m very aware a lot of producers are now going to have additional costs in terms of rebranding their products which will no longer be free range at the end of this process.”

While there has been 257 confirmed cases in the UK in the last year, the majority have been since October this year. Patterns suggest the rate is increasing.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has downplayed the bird flu’s impact on the egg industry, saying other factors are contributing to supply shortages.

This includes the rising costs of feed for birds and energy associated with keeping them during the current climate.

Farmers are also facing further economic difficulties as they are only paid for birds that are culled, and not for those that die from flu.

The UK Health Security Agency said the bird flu is a “very low” risk to the public.

According to the Food Standards Agency, avian flu also poses a very low safety risk to foods.

Poultry and eggs are safe to eat if cooked properly, according to the agency.