Waitrose has launched new mixed-size packs of eggs as part of a measure to boost the availability of British free range eggs on its shelves.
Due to new packaging specifications, up to half a million smaller sized eggs will now be eligible to enter the supermarket's shelves.
Traditionally, egg sizing is regulated by weight bands and the majority of retailers sell mainly medium or large eggs.
Consequently, farmers often send their smaller eggs that do not make the grade to the catering industry.
Between 3% and 5% of all eggs produced are small (43-53g) and are generally not put into retail packs. Currently, up to 425,000 go for processing annually.
But by introducing new mixed weight packs, Waitrose will now be able to use a mix of small, medium and large eggs.
The retailer said the move would make better use of every egg produced in its supply chain, boosting availability further.
Farmers have frequently called on supermarkets and consumers to end their obsession with using large eggs and instead use a range of sizes.
Nick Coleman, egg buyer at Waitrose said: “We continue to work with our egg supplier Stonegate to find solutions to give greater value to our farmers and customers.
"This new model will boost availability of our British free range eggs even further and at a more affordable price, which is good for the industry and good for our customers.”
Waitrose was the first supermarket to commit to only selling free range eggs across its own label range, doing so since 2006.
