Sainsbury's, the UK's second largest supermarket, will stop selling brown eggs under its own brand and switch entirely to white eggs. A carbon assessment found white eggs have a 12.7 percent smaller carbon footprint because white feathered hens eat less feed, live longer, and lay eggs longer. The change is part of Sainsbury's goal to reach net zero in its own operations by 2035 and across its supply chain by 2050. White eggs were common in UK supermarkets until the 1970s, when brown eggs became popular due to myths about health benefits and false claims that white eggs were bleached. Sainsbury's says the eggs taste the same and have the same nutritional value. The retailer is now working with suppliers to transition all own brand eggs to white shells, aiming to cut emissions without affecting product quality.
