According to GAIN report SP2020-0019 dated June 10th, Spain houses 45.8 million hens on 1,323 farms representing an average of 35,000 hens per unit.  Spain contributes 11 percent to EU egg production, attaining 1,100 million dozen in 2019.

Seventy-seven percent of hens in Spain are still in cages although there is a gradual transition to alternative housing.  Spain exports 15 percent of egg production to other EU states and North Africa.  Given that 85 percent of eggs are consumed by the domestic market of 47 million, average per capita amounts to 238 eggs in shell and liquid form.

As with the U.S., COVID-19 restrictions in the face of a severe outbreak led to closing of restaurants with home confinement.  The hotel and industrial segment collapsed but was in large measure compensated by increased domestic consumption.  The GAIN report notes that the pandemic “improves Spanish consumer views towards eggs as an immunity-boosting food.”