In November 2024 Poland, known for its powerful production of chicken eggs, may face serious problems with fresh EU legislation. Changes in egg marking rules that will come into force during this period may not only affect prices but besides lead to shortcomings on store shelves. What are the reasons and the consequences for consumers?
New EU regulations – What will change?
The European Commission plans to introduce a request to stamp eggs straight at farms, alternatively of at the packaging phase in sorting plants, as is presently practiced in Poland. This change, although aimed at expanding transparency and strict control of the origin of eggs, entails immense costs for producers.
Costs and challenges
Moving the labelling process to earlier stages in the production chain means investing in fresh technologies and equipment for farms. This in turn involves additional expenses which may be hard to bear for many smaller producers. The Polish Chamber of Commerce (PIH) warns that specified changes can lead to the bankruptcy of many companies and, as a result, to an increase in egg prices and products containing them.
Maciej Ptaszyński, president of PIH, points out that the introduction of fresh regulations may consequence in a domino effect in the form of an increase in prices throughout the market, which will translate into expanding inflation and increased costs of living. "The increases in the prices of eggs and the products they contain may affect the full buying basket of the Pole" - warns Ptaszynski.
Product quality and identification
Another problem is the anticipation of deterioration of marking quality. The stamping of eggs straight on farms may lead to a situation where the markings are illegible or incomplete, making it hard to identify the origin of the product. This contradicts the nonsubjective of the EU proposal, which aims to increase food transparency and safety.
Impact on Production Costs
Prof. Krzysztof Damaziak of the Department of Animal Breeding of the Institute for Animal Sciences SGGW explains that the final price of the egg is dependent on many factors, including feed costs, acquisition of hens, media and maintenance of buildings and staff. "The introduction of fresh rules will increase these costs, which will surely affect final prices," the expert adds.
What can we do?
Consumers may anticipate egg prices and products containing them to rise. It is crucial to follow developments and adjust your purchases to current marketplace conditions. It may be worth considering buying eggs from local producers or alternate sources of food to mitigate the impact of price increases
The fresh EU egg labelling legislation, which will enter into force in November 2024, has the possible to make major marketplace developments. We can anticipate an increase in prices and possible shortages on the store shelves. For manufacturers, this means additional financial and logistical challenges that can affect the full agri-food sector. Let us follow developments and be prepared for possible changes in our regular diet.
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Egg prices will emergence a lot. European Union introduces fresh rules
