Sainsbury’s to receive ‘Good Egg Award’
Sainsbury’s are delighted to learn that the British Free Range Egg Producers Association has nominated them for a ‘Good Egg Award’. The award will be presented at the association’s annual conference to be held in Daventry on 25 November 2003.
The Good Egg Awards are a way of acknowledging support for free range and, in the words of the certificate, recognise a “commitment to food quality and animal welfare”. Previous recipients include Marks & Spencer for making a switch to free range in their food products; Waitrose for the first ever free range TV advertising; and McDonald’s for insisting on free range eggs in all of their restaurants.
Sainsbury’s has been nominated in recognition of the growth in free range sales achieved over the last twelve months. Free range and organic now account for 52% of egg sales in Sainsbury’s stores.
Jon Arnold, buying manager at Sainsbury’s, said: “Sales of free range and organic eggs in Sainsbury’s are very strong currently with double digit volume growth on both products. The launch of Woodland Eggs earlier in the year has helped to increase what was already a strong performing sector for Sainsbury’s.”
In the last year Sainsbury’s has been enjoying volume growth of 22.1% on free range versus a market performance of +10.2% and organic sales have increased by 16.3% versus a total organic eggs sales growth of +6.2% (source: TNS 14.09.03). Sainsbury’s is the UK’s largest retailer of organic eggs with a market share of 34.4%.
Jon Arnold added: “Consumers have been telling us that they want Sainsbury’s to focus more on welfare friendly systems and our growth reflects how we have been driving our strategy to meet this demand. We are delighted that this has been recognised by a group representing producers.”
BFREPA chairman Tom Vesey, who will present the Good Egg Award at the free range conference, said: “Sainsbury’s truly deserve this award. It is because of commitment from company’s like Sainsbury’s that millions of hens in the UK enjoy a free range lifestyle. It also helps to ensure our members have a bright and secure future.”
