Accredited official statistics

United Kingdom egg statistics: Quarter 4 2021

Updated 28 April 2022

This release shows quarterly information on the numbers of eggs packed in UK packing stations. This covers the vast majority of total eggs produced. It shows usage and farm-gate egg prices and includes monthly information on the trade in eggs and egg products.

1. Key messages

• 7.7 million cases of eggs were packed in UK egg packing stations during the fourth quarter of 2021. This represents 3.2% decrease on the fourth quarter in 2020 and a 1.5% decrease on quarter three 2021.
• The average UK farm-gate egg price through the fourth quarter of 2021 was 87.7 pence per dozen, this represents a 7.4% increase on quarter four of 2020 and a 2.7% decrease on quarter three 2021.
• The production of egg products during the fourth quarter of 2021 totalled 18.7 thousand tonnes, a 7.1% decrease on the previous quarter and a 1.6% increase on the fourth quarter 2020.

2. UK egg packing volumes, methods of production, UK country breakdowns and price statistics

The tables in this section show quarterly information on the volumes of eggs passed through the UK egg packing stations. These eggs generally account for nearly 90% of total egg production. Packing station figures include throughput of both graded and ungraded eggs.

• The number of eggs which passed through the packing stations in Q4 2021 decreased 3.2% on the same quarter in 2020.
• Egg prices decreased to 87.7p per dozen, a 2.7% fall on Q3 2021 price; 7.4% higher than Q4 2020.

Figure 1: The number of eggs packed in UK packing stations compared to the UK farm-gate egg price: 2001-2020

Table 1: UK Packing Station egg throughput by country (Thousand cases)

Period	E&W	Scot	NI	UK	% change on previous year
2018 Q1	5,524	965	1,165	7,654	3.8%
Q2	5,488	1,043	1,140	7,671	2.3%
Q3	5,542	973	1,202	7,718	2.1%
Q4	5,605	1,047	1,248	7,900	5.0%
All 2018	22,159	4,028	4,755	30,943	3.3%
2019 Q1	5,688	990	1,208	7,886	3.0%
Q2	5,788	960	1,177	7,926	3.3%
Q3	5,735	998	1,265	7,998	3.6%
Q4	5,612	1,005	1,206	7,824	-1.0%
All 2019	22,823	3,954	4,856	31,633	2.2%
2020 Q1	5,615	976	1,217	7,808	-1.0%
Q2	5,439	1,086	1,174	7,698	-2.9%
Q3	5,340	1,093	1,302	7,734	-3.3%
Q4	5,435	1,164	1,405	8,004	2.3%
All 2020	21,829	4,318	5,097	31,245	-1.2%
2021 Q1	5,582	982	1,331	7,896	-1.4%
Q2	5,535	995	1,406	7,936	3.1%
Q3	5,629	958	1,277	7,864	1.7%
Q4	5,216	1,024	1,508	7,748	-3.2%
All 2021	21,962	3,959	5,522	31,443	0.6%

Table 2: UK Packing Station egg throughput by egg production type (Thousand cases)

Period	Enriched cage	Barn	Free Range	Organic	Total
2018 Q1	3,436	106	3,918	195	7,654
Q2	3,396	94	4,021	160	7,671
Q3	3,447	100	3,981	190	7,718
Q4	3,438	141	4,094	227	7,900
All 2018	13,718	441	16,013	771	30,943
2019 Q1	3,404	136	4,108	238	7,886
Q2	3,299	151	4,219	257	7,926
Q3	3,384	156	4,205	253	7,998
Q4	3,306	157	4,114	247	7,824
All 2019	13,393	601	16,645	994	31,633
2020 Q1	3,326	197	4,032	254	7,808
Q2	3,197	229	3,996	277	7,698
Q3	2,993	174	4,282	285	7,734
Q4	3,111	171	4,448	274	8,004
All 2020	12,627	771	16,757	1,090	31,245
2021 Q1	2,986	114	4,504	292	7,896
Q2	2,883	130	4,616	306	7,936
Q3	2,431	132	5,032	269	7,864
Q4	2,564	174	4,706	303	7,748
All 2021	10,865	550	18,858	1,170	31,443

Eggs produced from hens in enriched colony systems accounted for 33% of the total throughput in Q3 2021. Free range eggs accounted for 62% of Q3 2021 throughput.

Figure 2: UK egg throughput by production method

Table 3: Average UK farm-gate egg price (Pence per dozen)

Period	Enriched cage	Barn	Free Range	Organic	All Eggs	% change on previous year
2018 Q1	54	c	83	c	71	0.6%
Q2	52	c	81	c	70	-0.6%
Q3	51	c	82	c	69	0.0%
Q4	52	c	81	c	70	0.0%
All 2018	52	c	82	c	70	0.0%
2019 Q1	52	c	79	c	69	-2.8%
Q2	53	c	80	c	71	2.0%
Q3	53	c	80	c	71	1.8%
Q4	56	c	81	c	73	4.1%
All 2019	54	c	80	c	71	1.2%
2020 Q1	56	c	87	c	76	9.3%
Q2	57	c	90	c	79	11%
Q3	59	c	92	c	81	15%
Q4	59	c	92	c	82	12%
All 2020	58	c	90	c	79	12%
2021 Q1	63	c	98	c	87	15%
Q2	64	c	99	c	89	13%
Q3	64	c	99	c	90	11%
Q4	63	c	96	c	88	7.4%
All 2021	64	c	98	c	88	11%

‘c’ confidential

3. UK egg processing statistics

The number of eggs bought by UK egg processors in Q3 2021 totalled 1113 thousand cases (equating to 24.4 thousand tonnes), an increase of 22% on the same period in 2020, this a return to pre-2020 levels. Liquid egg accounted for 72% of the total production in Q3 2021. Total production was up 19% in Q3 2021 compared to the same quarter last year.

Table 4: Number of eggs bought by UK Egg Processors

Period	Thousand cases	Tonnes	% change year on year
2018 Q1	1,120	24,640	1.2%
Q2	1,174	25,833	11%
Q3	1,194	26,264	9.9%
Q4	1,160	25,512	5.2%
All 2018	4,648	102,249	6.7%
2019 Q1	1,007	22,156	-10%
Q2	1,048	23,059	-11%
Q3	1,064	23,398	-11%
Q4	1,103	24,276	-4.8%
All 2019	4,222	92,889	-9.2%
2020 Q1	1,062	23,356	5.4%
Q2	789	17,356	-25%
Q3	915	20,140	-14%
Q4	876	19,273	-21%
All 2020	3,642	80,125	-14%
2021 Q1	833	18,337	-21%
Q2	1,064	23,416	35%
Q3	1,056	23,225	15%
Q4	1,014	22,312	16%
All 2021	3,968	87,290	8.9%

Table 5: Production of egg products by UK Egg Processors

Period	Liquid Egg	Hard Boiled & Other Products (a)	Total	% change year on year
2018 Q1	15,816	7,279	23,096	1.1%
Q2	15,201	9,300	24,501	11%
Q3	15,146	9,579	24,725	7.5%
Q4	15,480	8,400	23,880	3.6%
All 2018	61,643	34,559	96,202	5.8%
2019 Q1	14,241	6,894	21,135	-8.5%
Q2	13,092	9,294	22,386	-8.6%
Q3	14,135	9,920	24,055	-2.7%
Q4	15,534	7,950	23,485	-1.7%
All 2019	57,002	34,058	91,060	-5.3%
2020 Q1	14,902	7,168	22,070	4.4%
Q2	11,294	5,709	17,003	-24%
Q3	12,277	5,824	18,101	-25%
Q4	12,859	5,623	18,482	-21%
All 2020	51,332	24,325	75,657	-17%
2021 Q1	12,349	5,774	18,123	-18%
Q2	15,529	5,810	21,339	25%
Q3	14,102	6,121	20,223	12%
Q4	13,233	5,545	18,778	1.6%
All 2021	55,213	23,250	78,463	3.7%

^(a) Separate data for Hard Boiled Eggs and Other Products is currently unavailable to avoid disclosure of confidential information.

Figure 3: Intake and Production of Egg Products by UK Egg Processors

The volume of eggs processed also includes any processing carried out for external customers who supply their own eggs. This can cause the overall volume of eggs processed to be higher than the volume of eggs purchased, as in the statistics for Q3 2019.

4. UK Egg Trade

Trade figures are supplied by HM Revenue and Customs. Trade data marked as provisional may be subject to revision.

• The latest data for August 2021 shows imports of shell eggs at 77,000 cases, a 79% increase on the same period last year. Imports of egg products are down 10% at 223,000 cases compared to August 2020.
• Shell egg export figures for August 2021 are 57,000 cases, up 15% compared to the same period in 2020, whilst egg product exports were 38,000 cases, up 100% compared to August 2020.
• The data highlighted in the table below has been subject to challenge with HMRC and should therefore be treated with caution although no errors have been notified.

Table 6 UK Trade in Shell Eggs (Thousand cases) – Imports

	2018	2019	2020	2021	% change 20/21	12 Month Moving Totals
January	111	73	198	77	-61%	1,092
February	106	92	70	53	-24%	1,075
March	129	74	105	73	-30%	1,044
April	170	100	141	52	-63%	954
May	160	157	187	58	-69%	893
June	111	73	99	140	41%	825
July	104	99	75	66	-12%	893
August	111	85	43	79	83%	1,112
September	118	103	78	297	282%	1,112
October	93	206	86	99	16%	1,144
November	133	66	64	82	29%	1,144
December	74	375	67
Total	1,419	1,503	1,214

All trade data are provisional

Table 7 UK Trade in Shell Eggs (Thousand cases) – Exports

	2018	2019	2020	2021	% change 20/21	12 Month Moving Totals
January	17	32	72	24	-67%	558
February	450	54	32	40	24%	566
March	246	25	42	40	-3.1%	565
April	17	53	73	52	-28%	544
May	28	27	63	70	11%	551
June	67	43	47	103	117%	583
July	25	45	51	75	46%	630
August	65	110	49	72	47%	653
September	29	59	48	66	36%	671
October	26	106	51	62	22%	682
November	58	31	37	59	60%	704
December	27	1,885	41
Total	1,054	2,471	607

Values marked with an asterisk has been subject to challenge with HMRC and should therefore be treated with caution.

Table 8 UK Trade in Egg Products ^(a) (Thousand cases) – Imports

	2018	2019	2020	2021	% change 20/21	12 Month Moving Totals
January	296	325	311	173	-44%	3,612
February	330	339	459	173	-62%	3,327
March	358	514	267	263	-1.7%	3,323
April	297	246	204	204	-0.1%	3,322
May	367	282	222	213	-4.1%	3,313
June	323	283	285	253	-11%	3,282
July	325	263	269	233	-13%	3,246
August	307	249	248	238	-3.9%	3,236
September	289	252	302	257	-15%	3,191
October	339	362	360	257	-29%	3,087
November	345	223	429	222	-48%	2,880
December	273	232	393
Total	3,850	3,570	3,750

^(a) Figures are based on SITCs: 025.21, 025.22 and 025.30, converted to shell egg equivalent.

All trade data are provisional

Table 9 UK Trade in Egg Products ^(a) (Thousand cases) – Exports

	2018	2019	2020	2021	% change 20/21	12 Month Moving Totals
January	8	14	40	24	-40%	261
February	8	12	24	32	34%	270
March	9	11	25	42	68%	286
April	7	13	22	25	14%	289
May	9	14	26	40	55%	304
June	9	12	30	41	36%	314
July	9	19	18	42	141%	339
August	12	13	19	38	100%	358
September	10	9	19	39	106%	378
October	14	22	16	58	262%	420
November	12	21	18	21	17%	423
December	11	19	21
Total	117	180	277

^(a) Figures are based on SITCs: 025.21, 025.22 and 025.30, converted to shell egg equivalent.

All trade data are provisional

5. About these statistics

5.1 Methodology

Egg Packing Statistics: The number of commercial laying hens is estimated based on the Defra Hatchery Survey layer chick placings. Total egg throughput is modelled using the number of commercial laying hens, average egg yields, average mortality rates and the proportion of UK eggs that go through packing stations. To estimate further breakdowns from this total output, Defra runs a quarterly survey of registered UK egg packing stations. It collects data on egg production methods (i.e. free range, enriched cages etc.), country of packing and prices. This “Egg Packers survey” is a voluntary survey of 27 packing stations across the UK, which accounts for around 75% of eggs packed in the UK. The response rate is typically 100 per cent.

The prices obtained on the survey are weighted according to the volume of eggs packed by each packing station to obtained average prices for the UK. From 2012, prices include any bonus payments paid to producers.

Egg processing statistics: Defra runs a quarterly survey of all registered egg processors. It is a voluntary survey of 11 respondents that collects information on the number of eggs bought by egg processors and the quantity of egg products produced. The response rate is typically 100 per cent.

In tables that show numbers of eggs the units used are ‘thousand cases’. There are 360 eggs in one case.

Trade statistics: These figures come from HM Revenue and Customs, but are validated and adjusted if necessary prior to publication. The Standard Industrial Trade Classification codes used to produce each table are given in the footnotes below the tables.

The data are subject to a variety of validation checks which identify inconsistencies in the data. All data are cleaned prior to publication. The percentage changes shown are calculated using unrounded figures. Thus any percentage changes calculated using the published (rounded) figures may not equate exactly with the changes shown.

The UK 12 month moving totals represent the sum of the 12 months up to and including the date indicated. They can be seen as a trend measure that is not affected by seasonality.

Contact details are available on the front page of this notice, for you to send feedback or ask questions about the information provided.

5.2 Revisions Policy

Figures in this notice are provisional and subject to revision. We will provide information about any revisions we make to previously published information in this statistics notice, and the associated datasets. Revisions could occur for various reasons, including:

• if we have not received survey data from respondents we make an estimate based on their previous returns. These estimates will be replaced with actual survey data when it is received.
• survey respondents occasionally supply amended figures for previous periods.

5.3 Data users

Representatives of the egg and poultry industry are also major users of the data. The data on egg production volumes and egg type are key sector indicators for the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) as they reflect the size of the national laying flock. The British Free Range Egg Producers Association also makes heavy use of our data as it indicates the size of the free range sector. We work closely with these users and consult widely when considering any changes to our surveys or associated datasets.

The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB – cereals and oilseeds), rely on egg production data as a good indicator of the commercial layer flock and associated feed demand and hence grain usage by the sector.

Our statistics are also often heavily referenced in industry publications such as “Poultry World” and “The Ranger”, the official magazine of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association.

5.4 Future publications

This quarterly release will be next updated at 09:30 on 28th April 2022. Full time series are available for download at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/egg-statistics.

6. National Statistics status

National Statistics are produced to high professional standards. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

The continued designation of these statistics as National Statistics was confirmed in 2014 following a compliance check by the UK Statistics Authority (now the Office for Statistics Regulation) against the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Since the latest review by the Office for Statistics Regulation, we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics and have enhanced data quality by reviewing methodologies and data sources.

For general enquiries about National Statistics, contact the National Statistics Public Enquiry Service: Tel: 0845 601 3034 Email: info@statistics.gov.uk.

You can find National Statistics on the internet at www.statistics.gov.uk/

Contact details

Livestock statistics team

Email: livestock.statistics@defra.gov.uk

Public enquiries: +44 (0) 2080 266306