The British Lion is the UK’s most successful food safety scheme. Over 90% of UK eggs are now produced under the British Lion scheme and more than 130 billion British Lion eggs have been sold since its launch in 1998.

The British Lion scheme has been responsible for a drastic reduction to the presence of salmonella in UK eggs and the Food Standards Agency has recently confirmed that they are the only eggs that are safe to be consumed runny, or even raw, by vulnerable groups.

All eggs that carry the British Lion mark have been produced under the stringent requirements of the British Lion Code of Practice which ensures the highest standards of food safety. The code covers the entire production chain and ensures strict food safety controls including the guarantee that all hens are vaccinated against Salmonella and a ‘passport’ system ensuring that all hens, eggs and feed are fully traceable.

The scheme is independently audited to ISO17065. Find out more about the extensive controls under the British Lion Code of Practice which have been responsible for effectively eliminating salmonella from UK eggs, key points on Lion egg safety, information on the British Egg Industry Council and a message from Edwina Currie offering her thoughts on the British Lion scheme.

The British Lion mark explained

All Class A eggs have to be marked with a code showing the type of farming system, country of origin and farm production unit. The "red lion" egg stamp and code is explained in the graphic, below.

The British Lion is the UK's most successful food safety scheme. Over 90% of UK eggs are now produced under the British Lion scheme. More than 130 billion British Lion eggs have been sold since its launch in 1998.

The British Lion scheme has drastically reduced the presence of salmonella from UK eggs since its launch in 1998.

More information on the British Egg Industry Council and its commitment to representing the UK egg industry on a number of matters.

Edwina Currie on the British egg industry today.