Recycled egg boxes keep business going

During the first lockdown in 2020, two of the three factories which produce egg boxes for Europe closed down temporarily.

Castel Farm Eggs co-owner Emma Brooks said this caused tremendous stress for the local business, as they were informed the lead time for deliveries was going to change from six weeks to seven months.

She said they feared this would mean the 13,000 eggs they produced each day would be without packaging.

Mrs Brooks said that the idea of relying on customers to return egg boxes to collection points based in supermarkets across the island was their only hope, and the response has been amazing.

Although unsure of the exact number of boxes returned, Mrs Brooks estimates it must be

in the hundreds of thousands by now.

‘We can’t thank our customers enough, it’s been so well supported,’ she said.

‘Feedback from the supermarket collection points are that some of our customers turn up with one box and others turn up with carrier bags full – every single box counts for us.’

She added that the scheme gives the business a huge sense of satisfaction, contributing to waste reduction too, so although the Covid-19 supply situation is easing, it intended to continue recycling the egg boxes.

The collection points only accept and recycle egg boxes from Castel Farm Eggs, and they ask islanders to remember to gently peel off the best before date sticker to reduce delays.

n To find out more about collections points, contact Castel Farm at www.castelfarm.co.uk.