Shelling out: Egg prices up nearly 37 percent

Those shopping for their daily breakfast essentials may notice an increase in the total on their grocery store receipts.

The Consumer Price Index shows egg prices are up 36.8% from this time last year. 

The average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $4.15 in December, an almost $2 increase from the $2.51 per dozen in December 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Large amount of Cage Free eggs at a Costco store in Florida. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

HERE’S WHY GROCERS ARE REALLY RAISING PRICES

One of the largest reasons for the increase is the recent bird flu outbreak.

The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was either directly or indirectly responsible for killing more than 20 million egg-laying hens in the last quarter of 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Farms are required to cull all birds in an infected flock, devastating the egg industry.

EGG PRICES ARE HIGHER AND WILL CONTINUE INTO 2025

Another factor could be new cage-free laws that started affecting states like Michigan at the beginning of the year.

While Michigan lawmakers modified the Animal Industry Act in 2019, it went into effect at the start of the new year – requiring sold shell eggs to be from cage-free housing systems.

The law also prohibits business owners from selling eggs from egg-laying hens that do not have usable floor space, or those that are confined.

Test tubes labelled “Bird Flu” and eggs are seen in this picture illustration. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic / Reuters Photos)

Some estimations indicate the average price of a dozen large eggs could be nearly $5 by the end of 2025, which would be the highest-ever recorded average price for a dozen eggs, Fox News Digital reported. The price of eggs in California has reached nearly $9 per dozen in some areas.

The highest price recorded was in January 2023, when the average price of a dozen large eggs was $4.82. Months later, the price dropped just a little over two dollars.

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To keep costs down, experts suggest buying eggs in bulk, and shopping around for the best prices.