RETAIL egg sales surged to a record high in 2020, ignited by lockdown panic purchasing in March 2020 and remaining a firm fixture in shopping baskets long after more regular shopping habits returned, new data suggests.
According to consumer researcher Kantar, around 8bn eggs were sold at retail in the past 12 months.
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That translates to an increase of more than 1bn on pre-pandemic levels – a sharp rise in a market that has been in growth for more than a decade.
Despite the well-publicised initial demand for eggs during the first lockdown, when panic purchasing was rife, four-week y-o-y sales from March 2020 vs 2021 have remained consistent, while 52 we 21.3.21 retail sales averaged around 22m a day, up by around 3m a day.
‘Fantastic opportunity’
British Egg Industry Council chairman Andrew Joret said: “The versatility, value, convenience and health credentials of eggs have really come into their own in the last year, giving consumers adjusting to having more time in the mornings and at lunch compelling reasons to get cracking more often.
“It’s particularly exciting that even more consumers are recognising the all-round benefits of eggs, which are the perfect meal solution throughout the day.
“We believe that there is a fantastic opportunity to maintain these incredible consumption levels even as lockdown eases.”
