Egg producers who repackaged eggs with fake ‘best before’ dates have been stopped and prosecuted, following investigations carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency inspectors.
The prosecutions, which took place between January and March 2025, involved multiple offences under the Egg Marketing Regulations. These included the unlawful re-packing of eggs with altered or extended ‘best before’ dates and breaches of required labelling standards and followed work by Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Egg Marketing Inspectors in conjunction with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Counter Fraud and Investigation Team.
- On 31 March 2025, Phillip Hoyland of Summerley Top Farm, Derbyshire pleaded guilty to fraud charges. The charges arose following routine inspections carried out by APHA EMIs and a subsequent investigation by Defra’s Counter Fraud and Investigation Team. Hoyland was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months.
- On 24 March 2025, Barradale Eggs of Ashford, Kent, was prosecuted at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court. The case followed an inspection by an APHA EMI, who identified that a batch of eggs had been re-packed and the original ‘best before’ date extended—contrary to egg marketing legislation. The company was found guilty of one offence and was ordered to pay a fine of £466 and costs of £85.
- Field Farm Eggs, based in South Newbald, East Yorkshire, was prosecuted at Hull Magistrates’ Court on 24 February 2025, following inspections conducted by an APHA EMI in December 2023. The inspections revealed that a batch of class A eggs had been re-packed and the ‘best before’ date unlawfully extended. The defendant was found guilty of two offences and fined £1,000, with a victim surcharge of £400 and costs of £85.
- Holyfield Farm Fresh Eggs, based in north London, pleaded guilty to three charges at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Monday 20 January 2025 following inspections by an APHA EMI which found the original ‘best before’ date had been extended by four days. The court issued a fine of £2,000 (reduced from £3,000 due to an early guilty plea) and awarded £200 for prosecution costs.
Aled Edwards, Head of England Field Delivery, Animal and Plant Health Agency said: “It’s essential that consumers can trust the eggs they purchase are fresh, safe to eat, and clearly and accurately labelled.
“These cases demonstrate our robust enforcement procedures; across the country we have 35 EMIs who work in our field delivery teams and have the important role of ensuring regulations in the egg industry are adhered to. I welcome these sentences from the courts and hope they will act as a deterrent to others.”