In Switzerland, only organic eggs will be brown in future
Published: Friday, May 10th 2024, 10:10
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Because white hens are easier to keep, brown eggs will soon no longer be available in German supermarkets. The situation in Switzerland is not quite as dramatic. Consumers here will still be able to choose between brown and white eggs in the future. But probably only on the organic shelf.
It was a sentence that made headlines in Germany: "We are already seeing fewer and fewer brown eggs, and soon there should be none at all." It was said in April 2024 by Henner Schönecke, head of the Federal Association of German Egg Producers. White hens lay white eggs, while brown-feathered hens lay brown eggs. According to Schönecke, many breeders have recently switched from brown to white hens.
Because: "White hens have greater genetic potential than brown ones. They live longer and lay more eggs." White hens are also easier to keep and more mobile than brown hens. They find food and water better, they are also lighter and smaller, as are their eggs. This makes laying them less strenuous. Brown eggs are therefore only available from a few regional breeders in Germany.
In German supermarkets, the proportion of brown eggs is now only around 30 percent, and they are often no longer available at all in discount stores. Just ten years ago, more brown eggs were sold in Germany than white eggs.
Similar situation in Switzerland
The situation in Switzerland is certainly comparable to that in Germany. However, not in all respects, according to a survey of Swiss retailers conducted by the news agency AWP. According to Denner, the general rule is that Switzerland has always produced significantly more white eggs than brown eggs. The proportion of brown eggs across all types of farming has long been only around 20 percent - even lower than in Germany.
When Mr. and Mrs. Swiss prepare a soft-boiled egg for Sunday breakfast, it is surrounded by a white shell in four out of five cases. The situation is completely different for consumers who buy organic products. "In the organic sector, the proportion of brown shells is over 50 percent," writes Denner competitor Coop on request.
And the proportion is likely to rise even further. According to Coop, the Bio Suisse strategy of keeping all chicks alive leads to the breeding of laying hens that lay beige and brown eggs. The white hen will probably no longer be used in organic farming from 2026.
And although the question of brown or white actually has nothing to do with whether an egg is organic or not, around a third of the hens in the Naturafarm egg program are already brown egg-layers. In the conventional sector, on the other hand, there is a clear trend towards white-laying hens, even at Coop.
No difference in taste
According to experts, there is no difference in taste between brown and white eggs. However, customer surveys have shown that brown eggs are often more popular with older people than white eggs. Younger people, on the other hand, usually don't care about the color, as aspects such as animal husbandry and regionality are more important to them. According to Lidl Switzerland, brown eggs tend to be more popular than white eggs in western Switzerland.
©Keystone/SDA
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