§ Mr. Nicholas Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all food products other than pre-packed eggs where the packaging date is required to be stamped.
§ Mr. MacGregorThere are none.
Because of the unique nature of the product, the grading, packaging and marketing of eggs are subject to separate rules embodied in the Egg Marketing Standards Regulations of the European Community. These regulations have always required that egg pre-packs should carry an indication of the period of packaging to safeguard consumers against buying stale eggs. Until 1 December 1984 such indication had to be given by a coded week number. From that date it has been possible, and after 1 July 1985 it will be mandatory, to replace the coded week number by an "open" date of packaging.
§ Mr. Nicholas Bakerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the EEC Commission's proposal that all pre-packed eggs should be stamped with the date of packaging; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorWe received a number of representations last year from trade interests about the amendments to the Egg Marketing Standards Regulations which allow the sell-by date to be printed on egg packs as an optional extra in addition to the mandatory marking of the date of packaging. There was some concern that it might riot be practical to mark both dates on pre-packs. But such technical problems now seem to have been resolved.