Tweet
Translation Google
Tensions in the egg market reach France
By Agnès Soubiran ⸱ Published on Tuesday, March 11, 2025
An egg shortage is affecting the United States and is having repercussions in parts of France. In Franche-Comté and Occitanie, eggs are sometimes scarce on supermarket shelves.
The French consume 224 eggs per person per year, and demand continues to rise. It increased by 4% between 2023 and 2024, and by 5% since the beginning of 2025. The least expensive animal protein, costing between €2 and €4 per dozen, eggs are also appreciated by vegetarians and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Demand is therefore on the rise, but the industry is facing avian flu epidemics, particularly in the United States, where the situation is undoubtedly having an impact on French consumers.
France, the leading European producer
" Let's be reasonable, let's continue to buy eggs as usual ," says Loïc Coulombel of the National Center for Egg Promotion. " The person who buys a dozen should continue to buy a dozen, not two. " Coulombel is particularly worried that the shortage affecting the United States will influence French consumers. " I think we've seen a lot of images of empty shelves in the United States with prices that have skyrocketed, while we're keeping prices stable in stores. For the moment, there's no sign of a shortage in France."
-------------------------------------------
"There is nothing at all": the reasons for the lack of eggs in supermarkets in Franche-Comté
Marek Khetah
Published onTuesday March 11, 2025 at 9:00 p.m.
For at least two months, many supermarkets in Franche-Comté have been struggling to obtain egg supplies. Demand is skyrocketing, and some producers are struggling to keep up. They are also suffering the consequences of avian flu and the transformation of the industry. Here are some explanations.
As you may have noticed, egg shelves in supermarkets are struggling to fill up. This is due to a shortage that has been going on for two months in Franche-Comté . The phenomenon can be explained by high demand, the sector reinventing itself, as well as avian flu and salmonella, which have hit farms.
Explosion in demand
One afternoon, in the egg section of one of Belfort's largest supermarkets, the stalls are almost deserted and the customers are bored. Arms hanging, Nina makes the observation: "I can't see anything at all. There are no more eggs. I'm thinking about whether to take them or not." There are only five or six boxes left, not her favorites, the young woman needs them to make pastries like Josiane, used to the red label and organic, but forced to choose something else. "In terms of value for money and protein price, it's very good," remarks Arnaud, a bodybuilding enthusiast, looking disappointed at the lack of options.
Right now, a tray of six organic eggs costs €2.21 from a wholesaler. It's the cheapest protein on the market and is in high demand, with consumption increasing at least 3% over the past two years, and the average French person eating 224 eggs, hence this temporary shortage. Christelle Koenig, a breeder in Vauthiermont (Territoire de Belfort), was expecting it. "We've been hearing for two or three years that it was coming, and now here we are," says the farmer who launched the brand "Le bon'Oeuf est dans le pré" in 2016.
Consequence of avian flu
"It comes from bird flu , which caused us breeding problems, and also salmonella , because we have mandatory controls. When we find the disease, we have to slaughter the chickens immediately, even the young chickens that haven't laid yet ," explains the farmer to justify the lack of eggs.
She has installed around ten vending machine cabins in the department since founding her brand, which, she says, sell eggs as usual. But supermarket suppliers are struggling to meet demand and are finding other reasons for the current shortage.
Switching to cage-free farming takes time
As part of the transition in the egg sector, breeders must turn to a cage-free system for raising chickens : barn, free-range, or organic. Already delayed, this transition to alternative farming methods must be completed by the end of 2025, but it is not simple and has had an impact on egg production in recent months, explains Éliette Wettstein, sales representative at Coquy, a company based in Flagey (Doubs), which supplies 250 points of sale in Burgundy-Franche-Comté: "There are some who don't have enough to convert their building to barn, that represents 800,000 euros."
Towards an improvement in spring
Coquy, a major player in the Franche-Comté distribution sector, owns six farms in Flagey and is buying up the production of nine breeders, soon to be ten, but that's not enough: " there's such a shortage of eggs that we're working to open two new chicken coops this summer ," the equivalent of 60,000 additional eggs in production, says Éliette Wettstein. The current period of lack of health and safety isn't helping matters. Two of Coquy's chicken coops are thus closed until spring in the Doubs, while they are cleaned and then refilled. The saleswoman expects a return to normal on supermarket shelves in July, with an improvement starting in May.
Tensions in the egg market reach France
By Agnès Soubiran ⸱ Published on Tuesday, March 11, 2025
An egg shortage is affecting the United States and is having repercussions in parts of France. In Franche-Comté and Occitanie, eggs are sometimes scarce on supermarket shelves.
The French consume 224 eggs per person per year, and demand continues to rise. It increased by 4% between 2023 and 2024, and by 5% since the beginning of 2025. The least expensive animal protein, costing between €2 and €4 per dozen, eggs are also appreciated by vegetarians and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Demand is therefore on the rise, but the industry is facing avian flu epidemics, particularly in the United States, where the situation is undoubtedly having an impact on French consumers.
France, the leading European producer
" Let's be reasonable, let's continue to buy eggs as usual ," says Loïc Coulombel of the National Center for Egg Promotion. " The person who buys a dozen should continue to buy a dozen, not two. " Coulombel is particularly worried that the shortage affecting the United States will influence French consumers. " I think we've seen a lot of images of empty shelves in the United States with prices that have skyrocketed, while we're keeping prices stable in stores. For the moment, there's no sign of a shortage in France."
-------------------------------------------
"There is nothing at all": the reasons for the lack of eggs in supermarkets in Franche-Comté
Marek Khetah
Published onTuesday March 11, 2025 at 9:00 p.m.
For at least two months, many supermarkets in Franche-Comté have been struggling to obtain egg supplies. Demand is skyrocketing, and some producers are struggling to keep up. They are also suffering the consequences of avian flu and the transformation of the industry. Here are some explanations.
As you may have noticed, egg shelves in supermarkets are struggling to fill up. This is due to a shortage that has been going on for two months in Franche-Comté . The phenomenon can be explained by high demand, the sector reinventing itself, as well as avian flu and salmonella, which have hit farms.
Explosion in demand
One afternoon, in the egg section of one of Belfort's largest supermarkets, the stalls are almost deserted and the customers are bored. Arms hanging, Nina makes the observation: "I can't see anything at all. There are no more eggs. I'm thinking about whether to take them or not." There are only five or six boxes left, not her favorites, the young woman needs them to make pastries like Josiane, used to the red label and organic, but forced to choose something else. "In terms of value for money and protein price, it's very good," remarks Arnaud, a bodybuilding enthusiast, looking disappointed at the lack of options.
Right now, a tray of six organic eggs costs €2.21 from a wholesaler. It's the cheapest protein on the market and is in high demand, with consumption increasing at least 3% over the past two years, and the average French person eating 224 eggs, hence this temporary shortage. Christelle Koenig, a breeder in Vauthiermont (Territoire de Belfort), was expecting it. "We've been hearing for two or three years that it was coming, and now here we are," says the farmer who launched the brand "Le bon'Oeuf est dans le pré" in 2016.
Consequence of avian flu
"It comes from bird flu , which caused us breeding problems, and also salmonella , because we have mandatory controls. When we find the disease, we have to slaughter the chickens immediately, even the young chickens that haven't laid yet ," explains the farmer to justify the lack of eggs.
She has installed around ten vending machine cabins in the department since founding her brand, which, she says, sell eggs as usual. But supermarket suppliers are struggling to meet demand and are finding other reasons for the current shortage.
Switching to cage-free farming takes time
As part of the transition in the egg sector, breeders must turn to a cage-free system for raising chickens : barn, free-range, or organic. Already delayed, this transition to alternative farming methods must be completed by the end of 2025, but it is not simple and has had an impact on egg production in recent months, explains Éliette Wettstein, sales representative at Coquy, a company based in Flagey (Doubs), which supplies 250 points of sale in Burgundy-Franche-Comté: "There are some who don't have enough to convert their building to barn, that represents 800,000 euros."
Towards an improvement in spring
Coquy, a major player in the Franche-Comté distribution sector, owns six farms in Flagey and is buying up the production of nine breeders, soon to be ten, but that's not enough: " there's such a shortage of eggs that we're working to open two new chicken coops this summer ," the equivalent of 60,000 additional eggs in production, says Éliette Wettstein. The current period of lack of health and safety isn't helping matters. Two of Coquy's chicken coops are thus closed until spring in the Doubs, while they are cleaned and then refilled. The saleswoman expects a return to normal on supermarket shelves in July, with an improvement starting in May.
Comment