While inflation is constantly robbing American citizens with high prices, it may have just gotten worse this year. The cost of eggs has skyrocketed again and may not have been for the best.
In November 2024 the price of eggs a dozen grade-A eggs was $3.65 and as of December 2024, egg prices have gone up to $4.15. About a 14% increase in price, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Over the last few years, egg prices have constantly risen in various supermarkets. It gets to the point where egg prices are becoming very inconsistent for the average consumer. a dozen grade-A eggs.
As of January 2025, egg prices have reached an all-time high of 22.3% increase now costing $7.09 per dozen. The cost of eggs does vary depending on what state or country you may live in. In 2024, the high cost of eggs in the U.S. is in Hawaii with the cost being $9.73 per dozen. Following Missouri with the cost of eggs being $4.24 which has the lowest cost of eggs in the U.S.
There are so many factors that play into the increase in egg prices. One major reason why eggs are so high priced is the spread of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) also known as H5N1. The short-term for the virus is the bird flu. It’s very dangerous and contagious amongst the bird population. However, the virus is also known for killing and sickening domesticated birds like ducks, turkeys, and even chickens.
The virus didn’t make a big impact on the U.S. till early 2022. Where more than 147 million birds in the U.S. have been affected by the virus and about 13 million have depopulated. There have been 66 confirmed cases of bird flu in the United States as of January 6, 2025.
As of January 7, 2025, there has been a confirmed human death from the bird flu. All 50 states and Puerto Rico have had an outbreak of poultry, along with 16 states with an outbreak of H5N1 according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Furthermore, supply and demand are another reason egg prices are skyrocketing in the U.S. Typically, farmers need plenty of livestock, food, and land to continue producing more eggs.
Yet with inflations, it’s becoming harder for farmers to supply their chicken. Kathy Shea Mormino, an author and chicken blogger, said in an interview with ABC News, “Anyone who’s done an ounce of research will quickly understand there are no free eggs, there are no inexpensive eggs in keeping chickens.” While eggs are known as the “perfect” food, the supply and demand for eggs keep fluctuating in stores.
One way this happens is consumers demanding more eggs. The average consumer is buying more eggs than they may need. Since it’s a food source that’s slowly becoming hard to find, and that’s putting stress on farmers since they have to ship those eggs to their respective locations.
Another way supply and demand are affecting egg prices is the farmers trying to produce more eggs. Since the avian flu is killing more hens than they can produce. Farmers are gonna have to manage new livestock, feed them, and look after them to ensure that the new livestock doesn’t possess any diseases or viruses that could potentially affect the entire livestock itself. Plus, retailers have to keep up with the shortage of eggs, and when new shipments of eggs arrive, some retailers will lower their prices just for the consumer to obtain more eggs, while others will raise the cost or limit how much a consumer can buy eggs.
Even though egg prices are hitting consumers and farmers where it hurts, It’s gonna hurt even more for Restaurants and local businesses that constantly rely on eggs for their products. Those places are going to increase their prices just to make up for the increase in eggs, along with other ingredients that are being affected by inflation. Henry Crawford, co-owner of Sugar Bakery, a local bakery that’s in Santa Cruz, California, expressed his feelings about increasing the prices of their cakes. “It’s making the margins a lot smaller, and “People become accustomed to paying a certain price.”
Store owners feel bad that they are increasing the prices of food items just to keep up with the economy and not go out of business. A Local3news interview with David Smith, owner of Wimpies Country Restaurant in Tennessee, discusses how the cost of eggs affects its business. Smith says, “When eggs go through the roof, it just about affects everything.” About 15% of Smith’s menu contains a stable ingredient, eggs. Smith mentions in his interview with Katherine Vaughn, a news reporter, that this restaurant spends $152.34 for about 30 dozen eggs, just about 40 cents per egg.
Eggs are a stable food in this economy. Yet, purchasing them is slowly becoming more difficult, with factors like the bird flu, supply and demand, inflation, and more. These factors are affecting egg prices, and maybe later this year, we will see a price decrease.
