Banff & Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford will visit Turriff egg producer Robert Hay on Friday 8 July (tomorrow) at 11.45am to highlight her call to the UK’s biggest supermarkets to support the Scottish egg industry by only stocking eggs and egg products that comply with a new European Council directive, when it comes into force on January 1st 2012.
The Directive sets down minimum standards for improving the welfare of laying hens and prohibits the use of conventional ‘battery’ cages.
Dr Whiteford is highlighting that although egg producers in the UK had invested some £400 million in implementing the requirements of the Directive, not all egg producers across the European Union would meet the deadline, raising concerns that ‘illegal’ eggs and egg products would find their way into the UK market.
