BEIS FACTS & FIGURES
June 2006
(All figures relate to 2005)
Egg market size |
|
UK production |
8,847 million eggs |
|
Imports |
1,430 million eggs |
|
Exports |
161 million eggs |
|
Total UK consumption |
10,116 million eggs |
|
No of eggs eaten in UK |
|
Total per annum |
10,116 million |
|
Per capita |
172 |
|
Number per day |
28 million |
|
|
|
|
Market shares (approx, by volume) |
|
Retail shell eggs |
49% |
|
Wholesale/catering shell eggs |
23% |
|
Egg products |
28% |
|
|
|
Market value |
|
Retail market |
£514m |
|
|
|
Retail sector – outlet shares |
|
Multiples |
83% |
|
Co-ops |
4% |
|
Market stalls |
3% |
|
Independents |
2% |
|
Butchers |
2% |
|
Milkmen |
2% |
|
Others |
4% |
|
|
|
Egg type breakdown |
Total market |
|
Laying cage |
63.3% |
|
Free range |
30.3% (of which approx 3% organic) |
|
Barn |
6.4% |
Retail sector |
|
Laying cage |
58.6% |
|
Free range |
35.1% (within which organic 3.4%) |
|
Barn |
6.3% |
|
|
No of UK laying birds |
29.5 million |
|
(Defra: Agriculture in the UK) |
|
|
Average yield (eggs per bird pa) |
307 |
|
Defra: Agriculture in the UK) |
|
|
|
No of UK laying flocks |
32,525 |
|
Of which |
31,567 with under 5,000 laying birds |
|
|
643 with 5,000 – 20,000 laying birds |
|
|
315 with 20,000+ laying birds |
|
|
|
|
|
No of UK packing stations |
1,409 |
Presentations - 2004 presentations:
BACKGROUND FACTS ON THE UK EGG INDUSTRY
During 2003, the UK was the 5th largest egg producer in the EU after France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, accounting for 11.5% of EU egg production (or 750 million dozen eggs).
The UK is home to approximately 29.5 million laying hens and is 83% self-sufficient in eggs.
Eggs are produced in one of three main systems
- 62.7% cages
- 5.1% barn
- 27.2% free range
- 5.0% organic
The UK is home to the largest number of free range laying hens in the EU (29% of all EU free range hens) (2002 data).
The value of the egg industry was £1b in 2006 with £582m coming from retail level.
In terms of market volume, approximately 64% of eggs were sold at retail level, 18% were purchased by the catering sector and 18% were manufactured/processed into various egg products.
The UK egg industry is a significant employer of labour. It is estimated that 10,000 persons are employed directly by the UK egg industry, with a further 13,000 directly employed in ancillary industries (eggs and poultrymeat).
The UK laying flock consumes a sizeable proportion of the total grain fed to livestock - 820,000 tonnes per annum. The egg industry is therefore a significant purchaser of UK cereals.
