This Is Why You’re Paying So Much for Eggs Right Now

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What happenedEgg prices rose by 59.9% from December 2021 to December 2022, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. Food prices as a whole are up 10.4% over that same time period, compared to overall inflation of 6.5%.The cost of a dozen eggs is up from $1.79 to $4.25, on average. In areas with a high cost of living, such as California, New York, and Hawaii, a carton of eggs can cost $7 or more.Although inflation has pushed up the cost of living, the dramatic rise in egg prices is primarily due to the avian flu, commonly known as bird flu. This is the deadliest avian flu outbreak in U.S. history, and it has resulted in the death of nearly 58 million poultry as of January 2023.”The flu is the most important factor affecting egg prices,” Maro Ibarburu, a business analyst at the Egg Industry Center at Iowa State University, told The Washington Post. “In the event we get the outbreak under control, it will be better every month,” he added in regards to egg prices.So whatEggs are a household staple, so this price increase impacts many consumers. It’s especially hard on families who go through lots of eggs and shoppers on a tight budget, who could find themselves with much more expensive grocery bills. The fact that food costs as a whole have also gone up only compounds the issue.Restaurants and bakeries have also seen their expenses increase. Some have had to raise prices, and others have closed entirely. Not only could you find yourself paying more at the grocery store, it could also be more expensive to eat out or grab a cookie at the local bake shop.Now whatHigher food costs are tough on people’s personal finances, because there’s no getting around them. Everyone needs to buy groceries, and it’s not easy to stop buying eggs if they’re something you use regularly. There are, however, a few smart ways to save on groceries:Shop around for the lowest prices. Lots of stores post their deals online, so you can see which grocery stores save you money before you go anywhere.Clip coupons (digitally). If you aren’t using them already, coupon apps make it easy to cut grocery costs.Get a grocery credit card. The best grocery credit cards offer anywhere from 3% to 6% cash back at supermarkets.There’s hope that egg prices will come down this year. Until that happens, you can at least reduce your grocery bill by shopping around, taking advantage of coupons, and paying with a grocery credit card.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until 2024If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our expert loves this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR until 2024, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee. In fact, this card is so good that our expert even uses it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. Read our free reviewWe’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 

What happened

Egg prices rose by 59.9% from December 2021 to December 2022, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. Food prices as a whole are up 10.4% over that same time period, compared to overall inflation of 6.5%.

The cost of a dozen eggs is up from $1.79 to $4.25, on average. In areas with a high cost of living, such as California, New York, and Hawaii, a carton of eggs can cost $7 or more.

Although inflation has pushed up the cost of living, the dramatic rise in egg prices is primarily due to the avian flu, commonly known as bird flu. This is the deadliest avian flu outbreak in U.S. history, and it has resulted in the death of nearly 58 million poultry as of January 2023.

“The flu is the most important factor affecting egg prices,” Maro Ibarburu, a business analyst at the Egg Industry Center at Iowa State University, told The Washington Post. “In the event we get the outbreak under control, it will be better every month,” he added in regards to egg prices.

So what

Eggs are a household staple, so this price increase impacts many consumers. It’s especially hard on families who go through lots of eggs and shoppers on a tight budget, who could find themselves with much more expensive grocery bills. The fact that food costs as a whole have also gone up only compounds the issue.

Restaurants and bakeries have also seen their expenses increase. Some have had to raise prices, and others have closed entirely. Not only could you find yourself paying more at the grocery store, it could also be more expensive to eat out or grab a cookie at the local bake shop.

Now what

Higher food costs are tough on people’s personal finances, because there’s no getting around them. Everyone needs to buy groceries, and it’s not easy to stop buying eggs if they’re something you use regularly. There are, however, a few smart ways to save on groceries:

Shop around for the lowest prices. Lots of stores post their deals online, so you can see which grocery stores save you money before you go anywhere.Clip coupons (digitally). If you aren’t using them already, coupon apps make it easy to cut grocery costs.Get a grocery credit card. The best grocery credit cards offer anywhere from 3% to 6% cash back at supermarkets.

There’s hope that egg prices will come down this year. Until that happens, you can at least reduce your grocery bill by shopping around, taking advantage of coupons, and paying with a grocery credit card.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until 2024

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our expert loves this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR until 2024, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our expert even uses it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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