Declining Egg Costs: What's Behind the Recent Price Drop?

If you’ve been grocery shopping lately and felt a little less sticker shock in the egg aisle, you’re not imagining things. Egg prices are going down, and it’s not just a fluke. 

There’s been a real shift in the egg market over the past few weeks, and prices are starting to settle after a long, bumpy ride.

Let’s crack into what’s behind the change, what it means for your breakfast budget, and what to expect moving forward.

Egg Prices Going Down? A Dozen Eggs Averaged $3 Last Week As Costs Decline

Over the past year or so, egg prices skyrocketed due to a perfect storm of supply issues. The biggest culprit? Bird flu. 

This highly contagious virus hit U.S. poultry farms hard, wiping out more than 130 million birds and creating a major shortage. That’s why, for months, shoppers were faced with high prices – and sometimes even limits on how many cartons they could buy.

But, there’s good news: the outbreak has slowed significantly. In March, bird flu cases dropped to just over 2 million, a huge improvement compared to earlier months when tens of millions of cases were being reported. 

With fewer outbreaks, egg producers have been able to restock their flocks and get back to business. That means more eggs on the shelves and, finally, some relief in prices.

What Do the Numbers Look Like?

According to the latest egg price update from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), national egg prices dropped 9 percent last week. That brings the average to around $3 per dozen. Wholesale prices for loose-graded eggs also fell by $0.26 in just one week.

Regionally, the shift is even more noticeable:

• In New York, large eggs dropped nearly 2% to $3.86 per dozen.

• In the Midwest, wholesale prices for large white eggs plunged by 32%, now around $3.69 per dozen.

• California also saw a big drop, with prices for large eggs falling 18.6% to $5.34 per dozen.

While those numbers are still higher than pre-pandemic prices, it’s a big improvement from where we were just a few months ago.

Can We Expect Prices to Keep Falling?

Short answer: probably, but slowly. Even though wholesale prices are dropping, the USDA says it can take a few weeks before those savings show up on store shelves. So, if you're Googling egg prices near me and still seeing higher numbers, don't panic. It’s likely the stores just haven’t caught up yet.

The good news is that shelves are looking fuller and grocers have lifted most purchase limits. The supply chain is catching its breath, and shoppers can now pick from a variety of egg types without worrying about stock shortages.

What's Next?

If trends continue and the bird flu stays under control, we could see prices continue to ease in the coming weeks. But, it's worth keeping in mind that factors like transportation and labor costs still influence what you see at the checkout.

For now, though, it looks like egg-flation is finally cooling off. So, whether you’re baking, meal-prepping, or just making your morning scramble, you can feel a little better about the price tag on your next carton.

There’s Hope On the Horizon

While egg prices are going down, thanks to a recovering supply chain and fewer bird flu cases, we can’t expect overnight miracles. It might take a bit longer for that drop to show up at our local stores. Let’s hope this trend sticks because one thing’s for certain: our omelet budgets will thank us!