French cake manufacturers have called for urgent help this week, after the closure of several battery farms has led to a shortage of eggs in the country. Egg prices in France have rocketed since a number of the country’s farms stopped producing after failing to meet the new EU Welfare of Laying Hens Directive, which outlawed unenriched battery cages.

Processors in France are now reportedly enduring a shortfall of 21 million eggs a week, around 10 per cent of the country’s production, according to France’s egg industry body SNIPO. This has resulted in a 75 per cent rise in price between October 2011 and February 2012.  

The price shock is said to be having a knock-on effect on pastry, cake and brioche (sweet bread) manufacturers’ businesses.

France, along with over half of the states that make up the EU 27, failed to meet the new welfare deadline which came into force this year and now faces legal action from the European Commission.

SNIPO said processors were requesting temporary short term measures to increase availability and alleviate the situation. However, animal welfare organisation Four Paws said there is evidence that French producers who did not comply with the ban have continued to produce eggs illegally.

Helmut Dungler, President of FOUR PAWS International, decried the country’s failure to act on the new welfare legislation, “France is a big disappointment and we expect the country to start offering real data and quality improvements”.

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