Buying eggs for a kitchen or shop

Many kitchens get their eggs with the rest of the weekly delivery. Some buyers would rather buy eggs by the case from a wholesaler or a cash and carry. The rules are the same either way, and they are short.

Buy Class A eggs

Eggs sold to shops, cafés and restaurants have to be graded as Class A. Only a registered egg packing centre can grade them. The government sets this out in its egg marketing guidance for England and Wales.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) says a wholesaler, retailer or caterer may only receive properly packed and labelled Class A eggs. A kitchen that boils eggs whole in their shells may only receive Class A eggs too.

What the sizes mean

Packers sell Class A eggs by weight, and each size letter stands for a weight band. Very large (XL) eggs weigh 73 g or more. Large (L) eggs weigh from 63 g up to, but not including, 73 g. Medium (M) eggs weigh from 53 g up to, but not including, 63 g. Small (S) eggs weigh under 53 g.

Reading the stamp and the pack

Each Class A egg carries a stamp called the producer code. The first digit shows how the hens were kept. A 0 means organic, 1 means free range, 2 means barn and 3 means cage. Next comes a code for the country of origin. The farm's own registration number comes last.

The pack label shows the class and the weight grading. It also shows the farming method and the packing centre code. The packer adds a best before date, set no more than 28 days after the eggs were laid.

Where wholesale eggs come from

Farms send their eggs to registered packing centres, which grade and pack them. Egg Info, the British egg industry's own information site, says British Lion eggs are widely available from major delivered wholesalers, smaller regional traders and cash and carries.

Defra counts the eggs that pass through UK packing stations. In the second quarter of 2026, April to June, free range eggs made up 76% of that total. Eggs from enriched colony cages made up 14%. Defra published those numbers on 30 July 2026.

Registering and keeping records

Anyone who sells, stores, handles or distributes food registers with their local authority. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a new food business registers at least 28 days before it starts trading. In Scotland, Food Standards Scotland and the local council give the advice. A broker or supplier working from an office registers too, even when no food is kept there.

APHA says wholesalers, retailers and caterers must keep records that trace their food, eggs included, back to each supplier. The records also trace food forward to business customers. Packs meant for resale stay as they are. A business may not re-pack them or split them.

Eggs for people more at risk

Some diners are more vulnerable to infection. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says a caterer serving them raw or lightly cooked eggs should use eggs from the British Lion Code or Laid in Britain schemes. Where a caterer can't check the scheme, the FSA says to cook egg dishes thoroughly or use pasteurised egg.

The FSA's guidance covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the FSA last updated it on 20 August 2026. Food Standards Scotland publishes its own version.

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