A few days ago, several media outlets reported that rising egg demand in the European Union is calling supply into question, and that some countries, such as France, may need to increase their production or import eggs.
The European Union is habitually in surplus with regard to eggs (between 4 and 7%, depending on the year), and the production and consumption forecasts for eggs are optimistic, as can be seen in the latest European Commission publication on the outlook for agri-food markets in the EU for the coming years.
And now, the question underlying the news story: Will there be an egg shortage in the European market? The answer that springs to mind is no.
Spain is the EU’s third-largest egg producer, and for decades we have exported a portion of our egg production (between 15 and 30% in recent years) to both the EU and third countries. If consumption increases in the Community market, we will supply more Spanish eggs to the EU and fewer to third countries. This would ensure the consumption of European-quality eggs in our table egg market, with the guarantees that consumers demand from this food product.
However, we must also take into account the evolution of the egg market in Spain in order to estimate potential export volumes. In 2023, total egg consumption in households increased by 8.2% compared to 2022, and by 7% when considering the per capita increase. This is very good news for producers and gives us some insights into consumer attitudes. It may indicate confidence in eggs as a food and in the quality and safety of eggs produced in Spain and in the European Union. It is also true that, in a context of widespread food price increases, eggs are one of the most affordable and versatile foods in everyday cooking, something that Spanish (and European) shoppers particularly value.
Consumption among the youngest population is well below average
However, looking more closely at the data on egg consumption in Spanish households provided by the Ministry of Agriculture in its report “Food in Spain in 2023”, there are aspects to consider when estimating the evolution of egg consumption in the near future. While consumption has increased overall, some households consume considerably more than the average, such as those comprising parents with middle-aged and older children, couples without children, and retirees, who account for 60% of the population and represent the oldest age group. Conversely, households of independent adults and young people, young couples without children, and families with young children consume less than the average. This situation, which is replicated in other EU countries, points towards lower consumption than current levels in the coming years, unless the trend changes.
Given the nutritional benefits of eggs for the entire population, and especially during periods of growth, for women of childbearing age, and for physically active individuals, it is important to communicate the role that eggs can play in improving the nutritional quality of our diet.
This is a task to which the sector must dedicate itself fully. It is also essential to better explain how eggs are produced in the EU, something particularly demanded by younger consumers. The eggs that reach the market from EU commercial farms and packing centres are high quality, come from well-cared-for and healthy hens, and are produced under the most stringent requirements in the world — standards that are not widely known. Consequently, countering the numerous unfounded stories circulating on social media and the internet about eggs as a food product and the way they are produced is an enormous undertaking.
It falls to the interbranch organisation INPROVO to provide verified, technically and scientifically grounded data so that consumers can purchase eggs with sufficient information about the aspects that matter to them.
This is the communication task that Inprovo is carrying out through its campaigns “Hoy huevo. Alimenta cuerpo y mente” (“Eggs today. Nourish body and mind”) and “Los Juegos del Huevo” (The Egg Games), the latter entirely digital and developed in collaboration with the sector organisations of France (SNIPO) and Hungary (PPB).
We will endeavour to encourage consumers, especially younger ones, to discover and appreciate everything that goes into every fresh EU egg that reaches our table. Because maintaining consumption of European eggs is fundamental to supporting producers who are applying ever-greater requirements and demands — both regulatory and market-driven — and to ensuring that fresh, safe, and sustainably produced eggs from the European Union continue to feature in the diets of EU citizens as they have done until now.
Source: María del Mar Fernández Poza (*), ARAL, 12-8-24
(*) María del Mar Fernández Poza is an Agricultural Engineer and Deputy Director of Inprovo.