Broadcaster Lee Kyung-sil has entered the egg business, and she is facing heavy criticism from netizens after it was revealed that the eggs are being sold at prices high relative to their shell codes.
This egg controversy began on the 16th with a post on Jo Hye-ryeon's Instagram. Jo Hye-ryeon praised the eggs launched by her close friend Lee Kyung-sil, adding rave comments such as "the packaging is different" and "the harmony of yellow and white."
The eggs sold by Lee Kyung-sil were priced at a consumer price of 15,000 won for a tray of 30. The problem was that it was revealed the shell code of the product shown in the released photo was 'number 4.'
Egg shell codes indicate the rearing environment. Number 1 means free-range, number 2 means floor-raised inside a barn, number 3 means improved cage, and number 4 means conventional cage. Number 1 eggs come from the best rearing environment, and the "shell code number 4" eggs sold by Lee Kyung-sil come from the poorest rearing environment.
However, the price of the eggs sold by Lee Kyung-sil became controversial because it was equivalent to or higher than the price for "shell code number 1."
In response, the company said, "If you produce eggs, you must recognize and respect that eggs with different shell codes are all necessary to one another," and explained, "The high price in our animal welfare section is set out of respect for good environments and the animals, not because of better quality," which drew backlash from netizens.
The company also explained, "There are no bad eggs. This is why number 4 eggs are needed in the market, this is why we want to improve the circumstances of farm No. 4, and this is why the standard for buying eggs should be quality rather than shell code."
Netizens who saw this continued their criticism, saying, "People choose number 4 eggs only because of the price — why would they pay number 1 prices for number 4 eggs?," "It feels like they planned this thinking consumers are fools, which is unpleasant," "The public are not idiots," "The shell code is 4 but the price is level 1. Why sell the cheapest eggs at high prices?," and "Why would anyone buy eggs out of fandom?"
[Photo] OSEN DB, SNS
[OSEN]