Sainsbury's, the UK's second-largest supermarket, has confirmed it will stop selling brown eggs and stock only white eggs under its own-brand label, as part of its drive towards net zero. The move follows research showing that white eggs have a significantly lower carbon footprint than brown ones.
Carbon Footprint Findings
A carbon assessment by SAC Consulting for Sainsbury's found that white eggs have a 12.7 per cent smaller carbon footprint than brown eggs. White eggs come from white-feathered hens, which are naturally more docile and have better flock health due to fewer harmful behaviours like feather pecking. These hens also have a longer laying life and require less feed, producing the same egg output with lower carbon demand.
Net Zero Ambitions
Sainsbury's stated that shifting to lower-carbon eggs will help it achieve net zero within its own operations by 2035 and across all suppliers by 2050. This aligns with the UK government's goal to eliminate climate pollution by 2050, recently reaffirmed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
The switch marks a return to a trend from the 1970s, when most eggs sold in supermarkets were white. Brown eggs became dominant after reports suggested they were healthier and contained more nutrients, along with false claims that white eggs were bleached. Until recently, brown eggs accounted for the vast majority of supermarket sales, with white eggs mainly used by the hospitality sector.
However, supermarkets have been testing consumer interest in white eggs, especially during the Covid pandemic when panic-buying led to higher demand for brown eggs. A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "White eggs have the same delicious taste and nutritional benefits as their brown counterparts but result in lower carbon emissions and better welfare outcomes for the hens that lay them. White-feathered hens typically live longer, eat less feed and lay eggs for longer, cutting carbon emissions by over 12 per cent compared with hens that lay brown eggs. We know Brits love their eggs and, as we work with suppliers to transition all of our own brand to white shells, they can now enjoy them knowing they are better for the environment and the hens."
