The European Union has updated the marketing standards for eggs, and with the new regulations some names have undergone changes. From now on, code 2 eggs, which were called “eggs from hens raised on the ground” become “eggs from hens loose in the henhouse,” while code 3 eggs will be called “eggs from hens raised in conditioned cages.”
This new regulation comes after several professionals in the sector detected consumer confusion because it seemed as if the egg “was left on the ground.”
This change, the most relevant for the consumer so far, updates Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/2008 of 23 June 2008. In the case of eggs with codes 0 and 1 they will maintain their current name, that is that is, “organic eggs” and “free-range eggs” respectively. The latter are those who sleep in a warehouse, but during the day they have free access to the outside.
The director of the Interprofessional Organization of Eggs and Egg Products (Inprovo), Enrique Díaz Yubero, considers that the new regulations “reaffirm the objectives of the European agri-food model.” According to Díaz, the changes will be useful so that consumers can buy and decide according to their tastes, preferences or needs, having sufficient information to differentiate, value and better understand how eggs are produced in the European Union.
In the egg code, it is not just the first digit that has meaning. Reading from left to right, the letters specify the state of the European Union in which they were created, the next two numbers are the province, the three consecutive numbers indicate the municipality, and the last three the farm of origin.
Regarding consumer purchasing behavior, although it is true that in recent years there has been an increase in demand for eggs from hens raised in better conditions, the higher price is still a condition for many families.
Along with these modifications, other new features have been added, such as the inclusion of eggs flavored with intentional odors in category A, fresh eggs. This means that they must meet the same standards and be marked with the producer’s code.
Likewise, a recurring demand from the sector is incorporated: the eggs will be able to maintain their commercial name even after the confinement of more than 16 weeks in which the birds do not go outside for health reasons. And, regarding the land, each country will be allowed to authorize the use of free-range chicken parks for other purposes with the aim of improving sustainability and animal welfare, such as the installation of solar panels.
The new marketing standards must be applied by each Member State in its territory, so that the Ministry of Agriculture will soon publish a royal decree of application in Spain.
