AECL condemns egg substitution

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has alleged that a South Australian egg farmer has been selling cage eggs as free range eggs.

The Australian Egg Corporation Ltd (AECL) takes allegations of egg substitution very seriously, with AECL Managing Director James Kellaway saying he was very concerned that an Australian egg farmer might have breached the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.

“The Australian egg industry is very concerned by the allegation that an egg producer might have tarnished the reputation of a hard working family-based farming industry which provides close to 13 million eggs a day to the Australian community,” Kellaway said.

“We are all about truth-in-labelling and ensuring consumers get what they pay for. Egg farmers of Australia fully support the watchful eye of the law over the egg industry and will assist the ACCC if requested in any investigations of malpractice as the industry has nothing to hide,” he said.

“It is important to note that the vast majority of egg farmers are honest, law-abiding people. As egg farmers from around the world, we care about: producing the highest quality, safest product; our environment; providing choice; the welfare of our hens; and feeding our growing population,” Kellaway said.

At the farm in question, the ACCC claims that, from 2007 to 2010, a South Australian egg producer trading as Rosie’s Free Range Eggs supplied business customers with eggs that were represented as free range when a significant proportion were, in fact, cage eggs.

Source: Australian Egg Corporation Ltd