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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Ryan Merrifield & Sam Barker

UK egg shortage: Tesco may join ASDA and Lidl in rationing amid empty shelves

There is speculation that Tesco is considering joining supermarket rivals including Asda and Lidl in limiting how many eggs customers can buy as the UK faces shortages.

Asda is only letting customers buy two boxes of eggs each. In one Lidl branch, a ration of three egg boxes per customers has been put in place.

And now the Guardian reports Tesco is considering taking similar action after shoppers posted photos online of decimated supplies in its supermarkets. However, the supermarket giant is understood to not have any buying limits in place.

Waitrose has not introduced any limits but is "continuing to monitor customer demand".

Sainsbury's has taken the unusual step of importing barn eggs from Italy to make up for what it describes as "some supply challenges".

Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Co-op have confirmed they will not be rationing sales.

Tesco is considering joining rivals in rationing eggs (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, pub chain Wetherspoon has warned customers that the "temporary supply issues" may mean its breakfast menu is altered in some boozers.

The UK is battling its largest ever outbreak of avian flu - but that is by far the only thing affecting supplies.

Minette Batters of the National Farmers' Union warned: "It is the most serious situation for food production since the Second World War."

It comes as the price of a box of a dozen eggs has already risen by more than 22%, according to official figures.

Last year, the UK produced 11.3 billion eggs and had to import another 1.4 billion to meet demand.

Here is what you need to know.

Eggs are in short supply in some supermarkets (REX/Shutterstock)

Which shops are being hit by supply chain issues?

Shoppers have been sharing photos from in stores, showing bare shelves where eggs should be.

One Tesco customer posted an image on Twitter showing signs that read: "Due to the hot summer we are currently experiencing low availability across our egg range.

"Sorry for any inconvenience."

The Guardian reported Tesco sources, who said the chain has enough eggs but would consider rationing if the situation worsened.

The Mirror understands Tesco is working with suppliers to ensure a good supply of eggs, with deliveries regularly arriving in stores.

Another photo posted from inside a Sainsbury’s showed a sign that read: "We are currently experiencing supply issues across our fresh egg range.

"We are working hard to resolve these and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Many shoppers can't track down a box of eggs in their local supermarket (Media Wales)

Similarly, an Aldi shopper tweeted: "Have you stopped selling fresh eggs online because of bird flu? I could not add any to my click and collect order.

"I will have to buy them from somewhere else now separately."

The supermarket responded: "We can confirm we are continuing to sell eggs which are perfectly safe! Sorry you were unable to grab any on your recent order."

And one Lidl customer asked: "Why have you no eggs in your stores?"

Andrew Opie, Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, which represents the UK supermarkets, said stores are "working hard" to " minimise impact on customers".

He said: "While avian flu has disrupted the supply of some egg ranges, retailers are experts at managing supply chains."

Why are egg supplies under threat?

Empty shelves and a notice about egg availability in a Sainsbury's supermarket (REX/Shutterstock)

Farmers are being hit by a mixture of rising prices and an outbreak of bird flu.

The British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) told the BBC farmers were being squeezed by the price of chicken feed - which has spiked due to the Ukraine war - and sky-high energy costs.

Its members claim they've only received between 5p and 10p more despite the price of a dozen eggs rising by about 45p in the supermarkets since March.

"Feeding hens is now at least 50% more expensive than it was, and energy prices have soared in the same way that consumers have seen their domestic bills rise," the BFREPA said in a statement.

"Spending on fuel has grown by 30%, while labour and packaging also costs more."

Robert Gooch, the egg association's chief executive, told The Grocer: "We have been warning for months that failing to pay farmers a price which allows them to make a profit would result in mass destocking or, worse still, an exodus from the industry.

"Seeing Italian eggs on the shelves is a wake-up call to all retailers that they can't expect farmers to work for nothing."

A recent survey of 163 farmers affiliated with the BFREPA show 33% have already reduced or stopped their egg production.

Farmers are also suffering following the biggest ever outbreak of Avian Influenza, which has resulted in millions of birds being culled or killed.

There has also been a knock-on effect of birds dying during the heatwave this summer.

However, the Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has denied there are any supply chain issues.

A spokesperson said: "We understand the difficulties the bird flu outbreak is causing for farmers, however the laying hen population is approximately 38million so it's unlikely to affect the overall supply."

An Asda spokesman said: "We are working hard with our suppliers to resolve the industry challenges which are currently affecting all supermarkets and to make sure as many customers as possible can buy eggs, we have introduced a temporary limit of two boxes per customer."

A Wetherspoon spokesman said: "We can confirm that there are temporary issues with egg supplies at some Wetherspoon pubs due to the current impact of Avian flu on egg production.

"We are experiencing issues in receiving all the supplies we require to satisfy demand in every pub."

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