More than 100 million additional eggs were sold in 2007, a similar increase to that at the height of the Atkins diet. An additional £80m was also added to the value of the market, pushing it close to the £600m mark.

The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) believes that a dedicated PR and marketing campaign focussing on the health and slimming benefits of eggs is responsible for the rise in sales.

Andrew Parker, Chairman of the BEIC, said: “At the beginning of the year we put the focus on the health benefits of eggs, introducing a new TV advertising campaign and capitalising on a wealth of scientific evidence showing that eggs can help you lose weight. For the egg market to show growth at this level, while value was increasing so rapidly, is unprecedented and shows no signs of abating.”