Lion Code of Practice

The wide-ranging and detailed Lion Code of Practice has driven the Lion scheme’s reputation for offering the highest standard of food safety. The Lion Code of Practice is managed by the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC).

The British Lion scheme is the only UK egg-specific assurance scheme that meets the stringent standards of the ISO 17065 international accreditation standard. More than £100 million from the UK egg industry has been invested into the British Lion scheme since its launch, several million individual Lion eggs have been tested and 50,000 audits have been carried out

The Code of Practice contains more than 700 auditable criteria and sets stringent requirements throughout the production chain to ensure quality, freshness and the highest standards of food safety.

The Code of Practice covers the entire production chain and incorporates food safety controls above and beyond those outlined in current UK and EU legislation, including:

  • All Lion hens and eggs guaranteed British
  • Hens vaccinated against Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium
  • Registration and a unique 'passport' system, ensuring complete traceability of hens, eggs and feed
  • Increased hygiene controls and salmonella testing of all flocks in the integrated egg production chain, in excess of the National Control Programme, including turnaround swabbing of breeding, pullet rearing and laying flocks; and packing centre hygiene swabbing
  • Regular egg testing (not included in National Control Programme)
  • Stringent feed controls, including production of feed to Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS) standards
  • Lion Quality eggs stamped on farm with the farm code and production method
  • Best-before date and Lion logo printed on the shell of Lion Quality eggs as well as on the egg box
  • Regular independent auditing, including unannounced audits, of all producers and packers in the Lion scheme, in accordance with the ISO 17065 standard

The Lion Quality mark, which is a registered trademark, can only be used by subscribers to the British Egg Industry Council on eggs which have been produced in accordance with UK and EU law and the Lion Quality Code of Practice.

The Lion scheme is the only Industry Control Programme approved to take official samples to be tested for Salmonella on behalf of the Government.
Download our Lion Code of Practice summary for further information.