The number of low-welfare eggs entering the UK from Poland rose by more than 2,000% between 2021 to August 2023, figures show.
Nearly 2,000 consignments of eggs from Poland entered the UK during the period, while 279 consignments came from Italy, a 300% increase.
In 2021, only 46 consignments came from Poland and 72 from Italy, figures by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) show.
The total number of consignments imported went from 422 in 2021 to 2,120 in 2022, and has already reached 2,536 in the first eight months of 2023.
During this period, UK egg producers cut production due to surging feed and energy costs, with production falling by 8% in 2022 and 10% this year,
NFU President Minette Batters told The Guardian that she was 'staggered' by figures, adding that it 'raises serious questions'.
“When the medical advice is to eat British Lion eggs, why on earth would they be importing eggs produced to standards that would be illegal in the UK?” she asked.
“It raises serious questions as to whether the government is checking food imports given the ongoing delays in the border target operating model.”
Gary Ford, the deputy chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council, told the paper it was 'very disappointing' to see such figures.
He said: “It’s also very concerning for consumers, with a recent report showing that a large salmonella outbreak earlier this year was linked to Polish eggs.”
