Egg packers prosecuted following APHA investigations
Criminals re-packing of eggs with fake ‘best before’ dates have been stopped and prosecuted, following investigations carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors.
The prosecutions, which took place between January and March 2025, involved multiple offences under the Egg Marketing Regulations. These included the unlawful re-packing of eggs with altered or extended ‘best before’ dates and breaches of required labelling standards and followed work by Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Egg Marketing Inspectors in conjunction with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Counter Fraud and Investigation Team.
Aled Edwards, Head of England Field Delivery, Animal and Plant Health Agency said:
Every egg packaging centre, regardless of scale, must comply with all relevant legislation, including comprehensive environmental and animal welfare rules.
The cases are the latest example of robust collective action by APHA, Defra and the EMIs to prevent offences which breach the required labelling standards to maintain the highest food labelling standards in this country so that consumers have confidence in the food that they buy.
Anyone who has serious concerns about the welfare of livestock is always urged to report issues immediately to the APHA so that urgent action can be taken by telephoning 03000 200 301 or emailing customeradvice@apha.gov.uk.