France runs out of eggs
Increased consumption and the difficulty of increasing production have left supermarket shelves half empty.
ParisThe scene has been repeating itself for months, but in recent weeks the situation has worsened: the shelves of French supermarkets where eggs are usually found are empty or half-empty. Buying them isn't impossible, but you might have to visit several supermarkets before finding them. The problem of the egg shortage—an essential ingredient in French cuisine—is explained by a growing imbalance between supply and demand. Egg consumption in France has increased by 15% in the last three years, while production has barely grown, according to data from the National Egg Promotion Committee (CNPO). Last year, the French consumed an average of 240 eggs per person, a figure well above that of neighboring countries like Spain, where consumption stands at 143 eggs per person annually, or Belgium, where it barely exceeds 80 eggs per year. According to experts, the increase in egg consumption is explained by several factors, especially the rising price of other protein-rich foods like meat, which has led many French people to opt for eating more eggs. According to the CNPO (French National Council for the Prevention of Cruelty to Foods), the shift in scientific discourse has also played a significant role in the increase in egg consumption in France. "For a long time, eggs were restricted for people with high cholesterol, but they are no longer considered responsible for raising cholesterol levels," they point out. Le Parisien Alice Richard, director of the National Egg Promotion Committee.
Production Leader
The increase in egg consumption has not been accompanied by an increase in production, even though France is the largest producer in Europe, at around 15.5 billion eggs annually. Despite its leading position, the sector is unable to increase production because it is undergoing a transformation to achieve an ambitious goal: that 90% of eggs come from free-range hens. The French government has not banned the raising of hens in cages, but it has banned the construction of new henhouses with cages. According to producers, the transformation takes time, costs money, and means producing less. "Next year we will dismantle all the cages so that the hens can be free," explains Franck Picard, an egg producer from Monterblanc, in the Brittany region, on TF1. The producer says that the change in model will cause him to lose 20% of his production. Excessive Regulation
Another problem is excessive regulation. The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Food Sovereignty, Annie Genevard, has acknowledged the excessive bureaucracy: "The process for setting up a chicken farm is the same as for setting up a power plant. Too many rules, and excessively restrictive ones, which hinder new chicken farms," she states in a video she has published.
This very strict regulation has led to a surge in legal challenges against new farms. The Minister of Agriculture has expressed regret over complaints from neighbors against chicken farms, which tend to have a bad reputation. "It is necessary for the French to accept the construction of chicken farms. For some of them, who know little about the subject, it is a place where animals are mistreated," Genevard stated.
High demand at Christmas
The problem of egg shortages in supermarkets has worsened since December, especially because demand for eggs from the agri-food industry multiplies during the Christmas and January holidays. Furthermore, during the first weeks of the year, France experienced two cold snaps and snowstorms that forced trucks to remain idle for days, causing distribution problems for eggs and other products. According to the Minister of Agriculture, the number of farms will increase in the coming months, egg production will rise, and the situation is expected to normalize by 2027. Meanwhile, France is importing eggs from other countries that are not experiencing supply problems, primarily Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands. Countries such as Germany, Poland, and Austria have experienced strains in the egg sector due to avian flu, which has driven egg prices to record levels. In France, despite stock issues, prices remain stable.
