Episode Details

Imported eggs are moving into the UK in huge volumes — and Dr Lisa Ackerley believes the industry should be asking much harder questions about where they are going, how they are being checked, and whether buyers really understand the risks.

In this episode of The Poultry Network Podcast, Tom Woolman and Tom Willings speak to Dr Lisa Ackerley, a public health and hygiene scientist and Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner with more than 40 years’ experience in food safety.

Dr Ackerley has followed the egg sector since the Salmonella crisis of the late 1980s, and says the progress made by the British egg industry since then has been “dramatic”. In particular, she points to the British Lion scheme as one of the clearest examples of how industry-led controls, vaccination, traceability and biosecurity have helped rebuild confidence in eggs.

But she warns that confidence could be put at risk if imported eggs and egg products continue to enter the UK food chain without the same safeguards.

The discussion follows the publication of the Shell Shocked report, which raises concerns about the rise in egg imports and the potential implications for food safety, animal welfare, traceability and fair competition.

According to the report, UK egg imports have risen from around 1 billion to 1.6 billion eggs a year since 2021.

Tom Willings breaks that figure down in practical terms: around 31 million eggs a week, or roughly 100 full artic lorryloads entering the country every week.

For Dr Ackerley, the timing is critical. Hospitality and foodservice businesses are under intense financial pressure, and cheaper ingredients can be tempting.

But she argues that many buyers may not realise the difference between British Lion eggs and imported alternatives — particularly when eggs are destined for cafés, pubs, care homes, hospitals, schools or food manufacturers.One of the central concerns is consumer expectation.

In the UK, shoppers are used to seeing British Lion eggs on supermarket shelves, and many people now assume eggs are safe to eat runny.

Dr Ackerley says that assumption may not hold if the egg being served in a café, restaurant or care setting is imported and not produced to Lion-equivalent standards.

The podcast also looks at what happens at the border. Imported eggs are subject to documentary checks, but Dr Ackerley explains that physical inspections are limited, and microbiological or residue testing is not carried out on every consignment.

With such large volumes entering the country, she questions whether the current system gives enough reassurance.And the issue is not just Salmonella.

The Shell Shocked report also highlights concerns around chemical contamination, antibiotic residues, mislabelling, country-of-origin issues and traceability failures.

Dr Ackerley says antibiotic residues are especially concerning because of the wider public health risk posed by antimicrobial resistance.

The welfare question is also firmly on the table. The episode discusses imports from Ukraine, where conventional battery cages are still in use, despite similar systems having been banned in the UK since 2012.

British producers, meanwhile, have invested heavily in higher welfare systems, biosecurity and assurance standards.For Tom Woolman, the issue comes down to visibility.

When consumers buy shell eggs in a shop, they can see the production system and country of origin. But when eggs are used in foodservice, manufacturing or processed foods, that information is often invisible.

Dr Ackerley’s position is clear: if UK producers are expected to meet certain food safety and welfare standards, imported eggs and egg products should be held to the same benchmark.

As she puts it, the UK has worked hard to build a safe egg supply chain. The concern now is that lower-standard imports could leave a “chink in the armour”.

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