The price of eggs is expected to skyrocket by another 20% this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Prices rose from $2.52 per-dozen for large, grade A eggs in January 2024 to $4.15 by that December, a nearly 65% change in just twelve months, per data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The shell-shocking price increase of eggs is due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, outbreak. Some 23.2 million birds had to be killed in December 2024 alone after contracting the virus, according to USDA, triggering a national egg shortage.
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The outbreak is having widespread repercussions across numerous industries. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Feb. 7 that the state would shut down live bird markets after the virus was detected in seven markets in New York City.
American restaurant chain Waffle House announced they would be adding a 50-cent per egg surcharge to orders due to the egg shortage and rise in prices. “While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” Waffle House said in a statement to the Associated Press.
And grocery store giants including Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Sprout have placed limits on the number of egg cartons patrons can purchase.
Here’s what to know.
What’s causing the egg shortage
While the pandemic and inflation caused the overall price of food to rise, the current egg shortage is tied to the widespread bird flu, which first affected livestock on U.S. turkey farms in 2020, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By 2024, the H5N1 strain of the virus began to impact goat kids and dairy cows. The first-ever reported cow-to-human spread of the avian influenza virus was also reported last April, though more than 60 humans have contracted the virus overall.
USDA says that while the national egg supply was “showing some improvement” in their weekly egg markets overview published on Feb. 7, wholesale prices for graded loose eggs will continue to increase in price. HPAI outbreaks remain persistent, with egg supply across the Eastern U.S. in trouble. In the last 30 days, some 149 flocks were detected with the avian influenza, affecting more than 23 million birds. Commercial flocks in Ohio—one of the top states for egg production—and Missouri appear to be the most affected, though they are just two of a slew of states reporting outbreaks.
“For now, shell egg availability remains limited and inconsistent in many retail markets with many affected grocers employing steps to limit consumer purchasing to stretch their existing supplies including limiting or ending promotional activity, placing limits on units purchased per shopping trip, and holding prices at record or near-record highs to dampen demand,” said the USDA.