Almost all French people consider the egg to be an essential part of human nutrition.. Household purchases of eggs increased by 3,8% over one year during the first seven months of the year. Annual consumption is expected to reach 229 eggs per capita by the end of 2023 : a memory ! The traditional World Egg Day, October 13, was the opportunity to unveil the results of a new survey on the French egg market.
The French are on track to consume a record number of eggs per capita this year : 229 (estimate in October), which would be nine more than last year, whether in the form of shell eggs or egg products. The egg thus confirms that it takes the opposite view of a food consumption at half mast*, with household purchases increasing by 3,8% in volume for all farming methods combined from January to July 2023, compared to the same period last year. The egg benefits from a period when consumers reduce their spending. It proves to be an ally in their daily meals, as proven by the recent survey carried out by the CSA institute for the National Committee for the Promotion of Eggs (CNPO), the inter-professional sector : 96% of those surveyed consider it an essential part of their diet ; nine out of ten believe that it offers excellent value for money and 87% that it is a cheap solution to consuming animal proteins. Beyond the price, 97% of French people think it is good for their health. They also know their place in the kitchen : 98% agree that the egg is an inexhaustible source of culinary creativity. Faced with this success, the French egg industry is in the process of restarting. Because nearly nine out of ten French people consider that the French origin of eggs is also an important criterion of choice.
A responsible and voluntary sector
After two years of avian influenza, the objective is therefore, for the sector, to regain points on imports. However, the 2023 recovery was slowed by new cases of avian influenza at the start of the year. Despite its difficulties, the sector continues its commitments to meet consumer expectations. Professionals are at the origin of several advances, particularly in terms of animal welfare. Fin 2022, more than three quarters of the hens lived in alternative farms to cages (sol, outdoor or organic) : a jump of more than 40 points in five years. French breeders are also at the forefront in terms of ovosexing. France is one of only two countries in the world, with Germany, to have invested massively to voluntarily stop the elimination of male chicks since January 1st. The sector has also initiated, from the start of the deflation of its production costs, price reductions. Breeders and packaging centers have in fact lowered their prices. By repercussion, in-store sales prices should decrease in the coming weeks for consumers.
THE FARM IDENTIFICATION CODE
It appears on the shell of the egg.
Organic breeding (0) : the chickens are fed with food from organic farming. They have access to outdoor areas in which they have shelter and vegetation.. Indoors, they have nests and perches.
Outdoor breeding (1) : the chickens have access to an outdoor run during the day. Red label eggs are marked code 1.
Floor breeding (2) : chickens roam freely inside a henhouse.
Rearing in a cage (3) : this breeding meets European standards in force since January 2012. The hens live in new accommodation in groups of 20 to 60, where they have in particular perches and nests.
