Eggs!

By now I’m sure we are all aware of the apparent shortage of eggs. Many flocks have been culled due to Avian flu and the cost of replacing them has risen by 25%. Add to this the problems with grain supplies for their feed and there’s yet another rise in farmers’ costs. While some shops are limiting the number of eggs customers can buy, Sainsbury’s has begun to import eggs from Europe. This is a risky idea as they are not guaranteed to be salmonella-free, so anyone using them must ensure they are fully cooked – no runny yolks or chocolate mousse made with those eggs. I suspect that there is an egg-mountain building because supermarkets have been unwilling to buy British eggs at the higher price, claiming that consumers won’t pay any more for their eggs. Two supermarkets, Morrisons and Waitrose, have pledged to only sell eggs from Britain and have warned of fewer available. Let’s see if and by how much the price goes up.