BIGGER DEMAND FOR UNSTAMPED EGGS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29609, 4 September 1961, Page 10

BIGGER DEMAND FOR UNSTAMPED EGGS

”Th« Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND, Sept 3. Many people buying from their grocer what appear to be farm eggs are. In fact, buying eggs that have been through the egg floor, according to Auckland grocers. These are loose eggs that have been stamped with invisible ink at the egg floor of J, Jones, Ltd. The stamp becomes visible under a special light This is carried by the Egg Marketing Authority’s Inspector. The other egg floors are at Turners and Growers, Ltd, Northern Distributors, Ltd, and the Poultrymen's Co-operative. Ltd. They all use visible stamps. Eggs are stamped at egg floors to show that they have gone through the floor, and to show their age. The Egg Marketing Authority says that there is no regulation that eggs be stamped. It is done by egg floors simply as a check, said a spokesman for the authority. It is illegal to sell to the public in the authority’s area eggs that have not been through the floor. The manager of J. Jones,

Ltd. (Mr W. R Bazeley), was asked why his firm used invisible ink. He said: “The public does seem to like a loose, unstamped egg." He said 'he did not know how many eggs were stamped with Invisible ink, but “the great proportion’’ of the eggs handled on the floor were cartoned. The stamps oh these were visible. One grocer said: “My customers don't seem to realise that the ‘unstamped’ eggs are still floor eggs.” Said another: “Since I stopped selling genuine farm eggs I have been selling about 40 dozen of the ‘unstamped’ loose eggs a week. They seem to be much more popular than the cartoned variety.” The secretary of the Auckland Marner Grocers' Association (Mr R. M. Barker) said his organisation approved eggs going through the egg floor but he was not awure of loose eggs being stamped with invisible ink.