But it may not be as easy as they think, with the free range product in danger of becoming "just another commodity product," delegates to the annual British Free Range Egg Producers Association conference were warned this week.

The free range premium has ensured that while production is less than one-third of the total egg market by volume, free range eggs account for about half the £500 million a year total egg market.

However, while consumers have been happy to pay premium prices up to now, Willi Kalhammer, chairman of the International Egg Commission, warned that these could be eroded unless producers and processors pepped up their packaging to attract consumers.

He said a typical supermarket shelf might offer 20 metres of pet food against two metres of eggs, with the former offering much more enticing packaging. "Marketing is more than offering. We have to excite consumers. Years ago we had to feed the hungry.

Source: The Scotsman