The Labelling Of Hens' Eggs

• A Guide for Retailers about the Labelling of Hens' Eggs
• How must eggs be labelled when sold loose?
• Can I pre-pack eggs which I buy in loose?
• How must eggs be labelled when sold prepacked?
• Can Eggs be Labelled to show the method of farming?
• Is there a time limit on the sale of eggs?
• How should I store and handle my eggs?
• What are the consequences of non - compliance?

A Guide for Retailers about the Labelling of Hens' Eggs

This fact sheet covers the retail sale of hens' eggs which are:

1. Bought in to be sold loose, or
2. Bought in to be sold packaged.

Please note that if you fall within the above categories you must only purchase your eggs from a registered packing station or wholesaler who buys from such a packing station and not directly from a producer unless they are registered with the Ministry of Agriculture , Fisheries and Food (MAFF) as a packing station.

This Fact Sheet does not cover the requirements for non-retail sales or registered packing stations. These are the responsibility of MAFF.

If you produce eggs on your own farm and sell them directly to the public, this is covered in a separate Fact Sheet "Sale of Eggs from the farm Gate".

How must eggs be labelled when sold loose?

Each Keyes tray (or container), or group of trays, should be marked with a notice(which can be hand-written) clearly stating:-

1. The weight grade - Sizes S, M , L, or XL or in full i.e. small, medium, large or extra large (or both).
2. The quality class (which should always be class A for retail sales)
3. The registered number of the Packing Station
4. A best before date and the appropriate storage instructions "Consumers Keep Refrigerated"
5. The country of origin if imported from a non-EC country

The notice may also include the method of farming used to produce the eggs, e.g. Free Range, Perchery (Barn) subject to certain requirements (see section 4).

This information must be given to you by your supplier either on trade documents with the Keyes Trays or on a label which is attached to the cardboard boxes used to transport the Keyes Trays.

Can I pre-pack eggs which I buy in loose?

No - If you buy loose eggs on Keyes trays you should not put these eggs into boxes for the benefit of your customers. What you are allowed to do is have empty boxes next to the loose eggs into which you can place the eggs at your customers request - your customer may also place the eggs into the empty boxes. Only registered packing stations may pre-pack eggs.

How must eggs be labelled when sold prepacked?

The box must be labelled with the following minimum information :-

1. The number of eggs in the box.
2. The name and address of either the packing station or the undertaking that had them packed.
3. The packing station number.
4. The quality class (which should always be 'A')
5. The weight grade - S, M , L, or XL or in full i.e. small, medium, large or extra large (or both).
6. A best before date and the appropriate storage instruction "Consumers Keep Refrigerated After Purchase"
7. Country of origin if a non - EC country.

The box may also be labelled with :-

1. A trade mark (provided this does not mislead as to the quality, freshness or method of farming)
2. A packing date.
3. A sell by date (must be at least 7 days before the "Best Before " date).
4. A laying date.
5. Advertising material.
6. The selling price. (Must be indicated elsewhere if not on the box)
7. Bar coding.
8. The method of farming used to produce the eggs e.g. Free Range etc.
9. The words "extra" or "extra fresh" (provided the words are removed no later than 7 days after packing or 9 days after laying)

Therefore the minimum labelling for a retail box is:-

Weight Grade			Quality Class
Name and Address of Packing Station			Best Before Date
Storage Conditions			Number of Eggs in Box

Can eggs be labelled to show the method of farming?

Yes - Eggs may be described as :-

• Free Range, or
• Semi Intensive. or
• Deep Litter, or
• Perchery (Barn)

But only if they were produced on premises which meet the required criteria and are registered by MAFF to use the description and :-

1. The eggs were prepacked and labelled at a registered packing station or
2. If sold loose on Keyes trays then each individual egg must have been stamped with the description by the packing station.

Is there a time limit on the sale of eggs?

Yes - Eggs must be sold at least seven days before the "best before" date (this is to allow the consumer a reasonable period of storage time). There are other restrictions which should be taken into account by the packing station when determining the "Best Before " date;

1. The Best before date must not exceed 28 days from the date of lay.
2. The eggs must always be sold within 21 days of laying.

How should I store and handle my eggs?

The following advice should assist you in ensuring that the eggs you sell are always in good condition;

1. You should not refrigerate loose or packed eggs as this can cause condensation problems on the eggs leading to reduction of quality. Instead you should keep the eggs at a cool constant temperature, ideally between 8 and 12 degrees Centigrade. They should be kept dry and out of direct sunlight. Storage instructions on pre packs relating to refrigeration apply only to consumers and caterers.
2. Small cracks will cause them to deteriorate and lose weight quickly - so handle them as little as possible.
3. When eggs are displayed loose on Keyes trays do not stack up the eggs on the topmost trays as this causes the eggs to crack and leads to a reduction in quality.
4. You should rotate your stock to prevent eggs being in stock for too long and deteriorating in quality.

What are the consequences of non - compliance?

Failure to comply with these labelling requirements is a criminal offence and the maximum penalty on conviction is a fine of £5,000. Whilst if you sell eggs that are not of the quality demanded (eggs that are stale, old or of the wrong weight) or are falsely described the maximum penalty on conviction is a fine of £20,000.

Contact Information
Send us a Message	Trading Standards Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne Lancs OL6 6DL View local map
0161 342 8355
0161 342 2288