A major £1m marketing campaign to showcase the benefits of British-produced eggs will launch as the safety of imported eggs is under the microscope.
The programme, launched by the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC), will deliver messages on the safety of eating British Lion eggs.
Approved by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), British Lion eggs are safe to eat runny for all ages, as well as pregnant women.
It comes as the public are being told to take care when handling and cooking poultry following a rise in salmonella cases linked to imports from Poland.
The number of low-welfare eggs entering the UK from Poland rose by more than 2,000% between 2021 to August 2023, figures show.
BEIC's campaign aims to drive people away from imports towards 'trusted' British Lion eggs via content delivered by a range of popular social influencers.
Gary Ford, chief executive of the body, said consumers can 'wholeheartedly trust' eggs carrying the British Lion on the shell and pack.
"With the safety of imported eggs under the FSA microscope, it is vital that retailers and foodservice businesses look to the British Lion to ensure they are offering the highest quality eggs to their customers," he said.
“Eggs are not just the most sustainable animal protein, they are one of the most nutritionally dense, natural foods and their versatility helps provide families with the perfect ingredient for quick, healthy, affordable and easy meal solutions.
"Our 2024 campaign will be communicating these important messages to increase awareness and consumption of British Lion eggs.”
Social influencers, with a collective following of more than 2m, will be sharing content throughout the year to drive awareness of the benefits of British eggs.
The campaign will see the launch of an @egg_recipes TikTok channel, which will be complemented by the @egg_recipes Instagram account.
It comes as a Food Standards Agency (FSA) investigation is ongoing into multiple strains of salmonella linked to poultry products imported to the UK from Poland.
There were over 200 human cases of salmonellosis linked to such products, including meat and eggs, in 2023.
The FSA said it was in discussion with Polish and EU officials to "ensure all steps are taken to improve the safety of poultry and eggs imported from Poland".
