Eggs remain a costly staple even as grocery prices decline

Egg prices spiked 28.1% last month compared to the same time in 2023, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), making it a growing grocery concern.

At the same time, general grocery prices are up by less than 1%.

The price of eggs peaked at $4.82 for a dozen in late 2022 but is now averaging $3.20—still high compared to pre-pandemic levels when it didn’t move beyond $3.

Why the rise? Bird flu
The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), aka bird flu, has affected nearly 101 million birds across 48 US states since January 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Other factors
Industry consolidation and price gouging are also raising egg prices, according to a recent report by Farm Action. Few large producers, like Cal-Maine Foods (which saw its profits soar 718% in early 2023), are controlling most of the market and contributing to price hikes.

These increases hit lower-income families the hardest, as eggs are a key affordable protein source.

States that have seen the highest egg price increases since October 2019 are Minnesota (+137%), Missouri (+123%), Iowa (+116%), Oklahoma (+109%) and Alabama (+109%), according to Datasembly.