Irish? Free Range Eggs

softmee

I bought "6 Irish Large Free Range Eggs today in Lidl store.
Was making tea and just opened them and started reading inside of packaging, there is explanation of "shortcuts" which goes :

O=organic
1= F/Range
2= Barn
3=Cage (dont buy them!!!)

Uk = Origin

-and there is also farm ID.

I took one egg out and there was 1 UK 9097
How are they Irish then?
Now I doubt they are even free range..

Ficheall

It's fine - Ireland is part of the UK. Don't worry about it...

Mrs OBumble

Emigrant chickens. No jobs over here, so they had to head over for work.

number10a

They're probably Nordie eggs. Don't you know that our constitution reads:

"It is the entitlement and birthright of every egg laid on the island of Ireland, which includes its islands and seas, to be part of the Irish Nation."

Extermely useless information: if the first digit after UK printed on the egg is 9, then it is a Nordie egg.

inisboffin

number10a wrote: »

They're probably Nordie eggs. Don't you know that our constitution reads:

"It is the entitlement and birthright of every egg laid on the island of Ireland, which includes its islands and seas, to be part of the Irish Nation."

Extermely useless information: if the first digit after UK printed on the egg is 9, then it is a Nordie egg.

Think UK and Ireland (Republic) may have different criteria for what qualifies as free range etc.
'Irish' honey ain't easy to find, and ain't cheap if you do. Read the label - often EU or non EU honey may have Irish slapped on the label somewhere if it is just *packaged* in Ireland.

softmee

Ups, I was going to post it somewhere else.. you can move it where it fits.

It just make me angry they are cheating everywhere and you can't trust whats written with big letters on any product.

-and I am surprised you dont care too much...

softmee

number10a wrote: »

Extermely useless information: if the first digit after UK printed on the egg is 9, then it is a Nordie egg.

"Nordie" or whatever it's not irish and they are lying.

Unrealistic

softmee wrote: »

Ups, I was going to post it somewhere else.. you can move it where it fits.

It just make me angry they are cheating everywhere and you can't trust whats written with big letters on any product.

-and I am surprised you dont care too much...

I have no problem with something from Northern Ireland being labelled as Irish. Why do you think it is 'cheating'?

Eviledna

Be they northern Irish or irish, the eu has jurisdiction over free range law for chicken eggs and it's the same for both.

Did you buy the eggs:
A) as a statement of patriotic buy-irishness
as a statement of your support for free range husbandry of chickens
Or
C) a tasty nutritious supper.

I reckon your purchase meets most if not all of the above, but either way, you're expecting alot from an eggy dinner.:p

ben.schlomo

Nothing wrong with them being called Irish if they are packaged in Ireland, its within the guidelines so its up to the consumer to understand the labelling, you now do and probably wont buy them again which is your choice. I understand the people who say its misleading but it is up to everyone to read the fine print.

softmee

Unrealistic wrote: »

I have no problem with something from Northern Ireland being labelled as Irish. Why do you think it is 'cheating'?

Too be honest I never thought of Nordern Ireland as UK so I was sure its from the "other" island..

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Nothing wrong with them being called Irish if they are packaged in Ireland, its within the guidelines so its up to the consumer to understand the labelling, you now do and probably wont buy them again which is your choice. I understand the people who say its misleading but it is up to everyone to read the fine print.

-there is nothing at all saying they were only "packaged" in Ireland and I dont care if they were irish or british hens -just how were they treated, but I tought its strange they are stating its irish product when its not.

thesandeman

Its a EU thing. Same goes for milk, cheese and other dairy products.

The eggs are free-range.

biko

No Galway connection. Moved to Consumer Issues.

dudara

The question is - are you happy for eggs from the North of Ireland to be labelled as Irish?

ch750536

We've had this one before. I think it is misleading. Chicken has a UK passport then they are not Irish.

antoobrien

dudara wrote: »

The question is - are you happy for eggs from the North of Ireland to be labelled as Irish?

We produce something like half the cheese sold in the UK. It's labeled as made in the UK because it's sent over there to be packaged.

wmpdd3

Looks like it is def a farm in the British Isles as apposed to R. o Ireland.

http://www.lioneggfarms.co.uk/trace/1uk9097/

softmee

antoobrien wrote: »

We produce something like half the cheese sold in the UK. It's labeled as made in the UK because it's sent over there to be packaged.

If thats the law to label products only packed in some country as this country origin, I have to say its really stupid and misleading.

Shelflife

When I buy an Irish product over another, what I am trying to do is support the Irish economy as opposed to the UK economy.

I dont like the way that the labeling laws allow a product to be labelled Irish when they are in fact from another economy/tax state.

I also dont like the way that the Aldi/Lidl/Tesco exploit this loop hole and futhur compound the duplicity by putting a tricolour and irish sticker on products that are clearly supporting another economy.

ejmaztec

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Looks like it is def a farm in the British Isles as apposed to R. o Ireland.

http://www.lioneggfarms.co.uk/trace/1uk9097/

Free range can of worms about to be opened.

softmee

email from lidl :

"We would like to confirm that our supplier for this product is based in Northern Ireland and therefore the packaging does state " Irish Large Free Range Eggs" as they are sourced in the land of Ireland. However, as Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom they must be stamped as UK. We would like to assure you that all our meat and poultry products are approved by Board Bia.

We would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us and assure you of our best intentions at all times."

hmmm :rolleyes:

-I would say this is cheating and it has nothing to do with my opinion if northern Ireland is Ireland or its not. Officially its part of UK and I don't think this is is fair because by looking at those eggs I was 100% they come from some local irish farms.

ben.schlomo

If they are produced on the island of Ireland then they are Irish.

softmee

ben.schlomo wrote: »

If they are produced on the island of Ireland then they are Irish.

No, they are not. They are British if produced in Northern Ireland.

Eviledna

Softmee, could you explain your gripe a little? Is it that you want to support the Irish economy by buying from local Irish farms? Because in a way the lidl shop you bought them in is employing Irish people, which in a way is in the very least supporting their jobs.

Northern Irish eggs are just as likely to be as nutritious as Irish ones. Is it an environmental concern for the carbon chicken-claw-print? If so, the only way to be absolutely sure is to get yourself to an actual local Irish farm. A supermarket will always want the economy of scale. There is a reason they are that much cheaper in lidl. Alas we can't have it both ways.

daheff

Eviledna wrote: »

Because in a way the lidl shop you bought them in is employing Irish people, which in a way is in the very least supporting their jobs.

Probably not...i've yet to meet an irish person working in Lidl (or aldi for that matter) -normally staff are eastern european


On the plus side...LIDL is employing people who are paying tax in Ireland (well...hopefully )

Eviledna

Yes I meant people in Ireland. Paying tax in Ireland. Lidl paying corporation tax in Ireland. All good things.

Btw, In both my local lidl and aldi there are plenty of Irish born folks working there.

softmee

Eviledna wrote: »

Softmee, could you explain your gripe a little? Is it that you want to support the Irish economy by buying from local Irish farms? Because in a way the lidl shop you bought them in is employing Irish people, which in a way is in the very least supporting their jobs.

Northern Irish eggs are just as likely to be as nutritious as Irish ones. Is it an environmental concern for the carbon chicken-claw-print? If so, the only way to be absolutely sure is to get yourself to an actual local Irish farm. A supermarket will always want the economy of scale. There is a reason they are that much cheaper in lidl. Alas we can't have it both ways.

There is no "gripe", maybe your granny is griping..

I am only wondering how this could be legal and I dont like labels to be lying and this is a lie.

Northern Ireland is park of United Kingdom and if those eggs come from there they are not Irish!
I don't care too much were they come from, as I said before my only concern is conditions in which chickens are kept, but I don't like to be cheated and I want honest information on packaging.
If there was "British Free Range Eggs" on them I would still buy them, what matter's is the honest info.

-everyone should have right to decide what is buying and that is simply not fair.

softmee

daheff wrote: »

Probably not...i've yet to meet an irish person working in Lidl (or aldi for that matter) -normally staff are eastern european

In my local shop there are maybe 3 polish and all the rest is irish.

old hippy

softmee wrote: »

Ups, I was going to post it somewhere else.. you can move it where it fits.

It just make me angry they are cheating everywhere and you can't trust whats written with big letters on any product.

-and I am surprised you dont care too much...

Oh, the eggs, won't somebody please think of the eggs!

softmee

old hippy wrote: »

Oh, the eggs, won't somebody please think of the eggs!

-oh you are so funny! :rolleyes:

old hippy

softmee wrote: »

-oh you are so funny! :rolleyes:

I like French eggs but I know when an ouef is an ouef...

softmee

old hippy wrote: »

I like French eggs but I know when an ouef is an ouef...

-and what this has to do with the subject?

old hippy

softmee wrote: »

-and what this has to do with the subject?

Apologies, I was just yolking

Eviledna

softmee wrote: »

There is no "gripe", maybe your granny is griping..

Ah now be nice. No need for granny bashing.

I am only wondering how this could be legal and I dont like labels to be lying and this is a lie.

Northern Ireland is park of United Kingdom and if those eggs come from there they are not Irish!
I don't care too much were they come from, as I said before my only concern is conditions in which chickens are kept, but I don't like to be cheated and I want honest information on packaging.
If there was "British Free Range Eggs" on them I would still buy them, what matter's is the honest info.

It's acceptable to open a cardboard carton of eggs (usually to ensure they are not broken) to peek before you buy where in future you can keep your eye out for the UK code that is offensive to to you. It may be the case that you might have to come to terms with the notion that with the peace in NI came some farmers that consider their product as Irish as they come from the land that forms part of the geograhical island of Ireland.

It seems your concern is a little excessive considering both jurisdictions are ruled by the eu with respect to quality etc. Would you bother to email lidl and post here if you found for example a package of eggs claiming to be leinster eggs but were in fact, shock horror, munster eggs?

Considering it doesn't effect the quality and it comes from the same land mass and lidl seem to be of the opinion that's it's time we all just got along and that their chickens are less than political, is it possible there are more important things to be worrying about?:)

If not, you better declare here and now if you are little-endian or big-endian.

softmee

Eviledna wrote: »

It's acceptable to open a cardboard carton of eggs (usually to ensure they are not broken) to peek before you buy where in future you can keep your eye out for the UK code that is offensive to to you.

-if you would just read my post you would understand I have NOTHING against British eggs.

Eviledna wrote: »

is it possible there are more important things to be worrying about?:)

-yeah, why you are waisting your time then?

old hippy

Eggsactly

Eviledna

softmee wrote: »

-yeah, why you are waisting your time then?

Apparently the only waste of time is the effort to deflate the "consumer issue" here.

Hope you were able to enjoy your tea anyway. There are plenty of free range eggs for sale from local Galway farmers in the Market tomorrow.

softmee

Eviledna wrote: »

Apparently the only waste of time is the effort to deflate the "consumer issue" here.

Hope you were able to enjoy your tea anyway. There are plenty of free range eggs for sale from local Galway farmers in the Market tomorrow.

Jesus..I can't belive how some people here are just waiting to argue with somebody just for the sake of beeing smart ass for the moment..

Well OK EVILEDNA point taken, THANK YOU!

Eviledna

Happy to help.:)

maxer68

As someone who's father is from Northern Ireland and who has many relations in Ballycastle (Big Ian country), I and every other person who has any connection with NI would see that anything produced on the island of Ireland is Irish - even the other side would agree with that.

Many of our sports are all Irish, tourism is all Irish, food promotion is all Irish, crafts promotion is all Irish.

ben.schlomo

softmee wrote: »

No, they are not. They are British if produced in Northern Ireland.

You would know you weren't Irish anyway. And before you start thats not a dig at you, just an observation.

MOH

If they'd been marked "6 Irish Large Free State Eggs" it'd definitely be misleading.


Take your point though, I'd expect them to be from the Republic.

softmee

ben.schlomo wrote: »

You would know you weren't Irish anyway. And before you start thats not a dig at you, just an observation.

-and very good I have no intention to pretend I am Irish :rolleyes:

dechand

Irish smoked salmon or smoked irish salmon ? which would you prefer?

old hippy

dechand wrote: »

Irish smoked salmon or smoked irish salmon ? which would you prefer?

It's that kind of caviar attitude that got us in trouble in the first place...

Shelflife

maxer68 wrote: »

As someone who's father is from Northern Ireland and who has many relations in Ballycastle (Big Ian country), I and every other person who has any connection with NI would see that anything produced on the island of Ireland is Irish - even the other side would agree with that.

Many of our sports are all Irish, tourism is all Irish, food promotion is all Irish, crafts promotion is all Irish.

Maxer I see where you are coming from and agree with the above, however when a supermarket is promoting that they are supporting Irish jobs , to me we are talking about the Irish (26 counties) economy as opposed to to the island of Ireland.

When I buy Irish i do it because i want to support the economy and jobs in our economy as opposed to the econonmy in another tax juristiction.

Melendez

This post has been deleted.

dudara

Arguing about this on the internet is not going to go anywhere.

As far as I'm concerned, the labelling is technically correct, as the eggs are produced in Ireland, just not the Republic of Ireland. The simple fact is that Northern Ireland is tightly interlinked with the Republic. You can't build a wall and keep the two separate - money flows across the border in both directions.

I would suggest contacting the National Consumer Agency and seeking their guidance on what you perceive to be misleading advertising. After all, goods must be sold as described. However, I would be of the opinion that it's a very gray area.

tfitzgerald

Ficheall wrote: »

It's fine - Ireland is part of the UK. Don't worry about it...

I love this post.

I could be wrong but I think if they pack them in Ireland . They can be classed as Irish

maxer68

softmee wrote: »

No, they are not. They are British if produced in Northern Ireland.

Britain = England, Scotland & Wales

United Kingdom = England Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland

To be officially British, it must be produced on mainland britain.:D

and then there's the british isles (geographical term) and includes the island of Britain and the island of Ireland. :D

old hippy

Shelflife wrote: »

Maxer I see where you are coming from and agree with the above, however when a supermarket is promoting that they are supporting Irish jobs , to me we are talking about the Irish (26 counties) economy as opposed to to the island of Ireland.

When I buy Irish i do it because i want to support the economy and jobs in our economy as opposed to the econonmy in another tax juristiction.

Should us Irish abroad continue to buy Irish goods, in that case or buy exclusively the produce of the country we live in?