)
Sustainable white eggs now on the shelves
10
June
2020
Research shows that white eggs are more sustainable than brown ones. Moreover, they are just as tasty and nutritious. All the more reason for us to introduce white-shelled eggs in a number of test stores, under our house brand Boni Selection. That way we want to inspire customers into choosing white eggs. Also, we will calculate the exact environmental benefit they generate by doing so.
From now on in more than 200 Colruyt Group stores
Since the end of September 2019 you find two types of white barn eggs of Boni Selection - a 6-pack of Large eggs and a 12-pack of Medium eggs - in more than hundred Colruyt and about sixty OKay stores. In a number of stores they are added to the range of brown eggs; in other stores they will replace the brown barn eggs of Boni Selection. The white barn eggs come from Belgian chicken farms with a covered outside area. Bio-Planet, on its side, is testing organic white eggs from free-range systems in Belgium since the end of 2019.
Colruyt Group stores offering white eggs
Stable supply
A doctoral study of 2017 has shown that white eggs are (slightly) more sustainable than brown ones. This is explained by the fact that hens laying white eggs stay productive for longer and eat less. Consuming less feed means reducing the production of feed and thus lowering CO2 emissions. In the poultry sector, this idea is generally accepted and received broad media coverage early 2019. That is why, together with our suppliers, we have set up a trial project to bring white eggs back on the shelves. In the meantime, the producers have raised enough chicks into white egg laying hens. They produce enough to guarantee a stable supply to a number of stores.
Actual environmental benefit mapped
On average, hens laying white eggs eat 7 grams less feed per day compared to hens laying brown ones. If you know that there are about 9 million laying hens in our country, it is clear that switching from brown eggs to white eggs can generate a considerable gain in terms of sustainability. How much exactly will be calculated by our services during this test year, for both the white and the brown eggs from our supply chain. Together with our suppliers, we are gathering data on feed consumption and egg production, so as to map the actual environmental benefit of both varieties.
What is the next step?
We will continue to test the white eggs, closely monitor the number of customers buying them and examine to what extent they are environment-friendlier than brown ones. Earlier test sales of white eggs 3.5 years ago proved not to be very successful. As taste preferences tend to change slowly over time, we have decided to spotlight the white eggs with a clearly recognisable packaging and extra communication this time. If the white eggs prove popular and the sustainability benefit recorded is substantial enough, we will check with our suppliers how we can get more white eggs onto the shelves.
With this initiative, we contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
