Shelling out: Egg prices are up about 37 percent
Those who buy their daily breakfast essentials may notice an increase in their total grocery receipts.
The Consumer Price Index shows that egg prices are up 36.8% from this time last year.
The average price of a dozen large Grade A eggs was $4.15 in December, up nearly $2 from $2.51 per dozen in December 2023, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
THERE ARE REALLY GROCERS RAISING THE PRICES
One of the main reasons for the increase is the recent outbreak of bird flu.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was directly or indirectly responsible for killing more than 20 million egg-laying hens in the last quarter of 2024, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Farms are required to remove all birds from infected flocks, destroying the egg industry.
ACTUAL LEVELS ARE HIGH AND WILL CONTINUE INTO 2025
Another factor could be new cage-free laws that began affecting states like Michigan earlier this year.
When Michigan lawmakers changed the Animal Industry Act in 2019, it went into effect at the beginning of the new year – requiring sold shell eggs to come out of cage-free housing programs.
The law also prohibits business owners from selling eggs from hens that lay eggs that do not have usable floor space, or that are caged.
Some estimates indicate that the price of large eggs could reach $5 by the end of 2025, which would be the highest price ever recorded for a dozen eggs, reports Fox News Digital. The price of eggs in California has reached about $9 per dozen in some areas.
The highest price recorded was in January 2023, when the average price of large eggs was $4.82. Months later, the price dropped to just over two dollars.
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To reduce costs, experts suggest buying eggs in bulk, and shop around for the best prices.
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