Amidst an Ongoing Avian Flu Outbreak, Egg Prices May Continue to Soar in 2025
For the foreseeable future, American consumers can expect to pay higher prices for eggs due to the ongoing avian flu outbreak and rising inflation. According to the US Department of Agriculture’s price outlook, egg prices are estimated to increase by approximately 20% in 2025, compared to a 2.2% rise in food prices generally. This unique increase is attributed to the pervasive strain of avian flu, which has severely strained the egg supply.
In November and December, the virus claimed the lives of nearly 17.2 million egg-laying hens, roughly half of all birds killed by the virus in 2024, as reported by the USDA. As a result, the average price of a dozen large, grade-A eggs rose to $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Egg prices also increased by more than 36% year-over-year in December, according to the Consumer Price Index.
Emily Metz, President and CEO of the American Egg Board, expressed the industry’s dire outlook, stating, “Not to be the bearer of bad news, but we’re in this for a while. Until we have time without a detection, unfortunately this very, very tight egg supply is going to continue.” The industry has witnessed more than 20 consecutive months of record-high demand, further exacerbating the cost of eggs.
To combat this shortage, some grocers have instituted limits on the number of eggs a shopper can purchase at one time, in an effort to “stretch their supply” and prevent panic buying, as described by Metz. As long as the avian flu persists, so too will high prices. The outbreak has spread to various states, including California, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, with 8.3 million birds dying in January alone.
Manufacturers and egg wholesalers have also increased their prices, with wholesale prices of large-carton eggs in New York, the Midwest, and California reaching record highs. The USDA reported that this is forcing grocers to maintain prices at record or near-record levels. The avian flu has also devastated farms where young birds are raised to lay eggs, leading to a lack of replacements to offset the loss of egg-laying hens.
In summary, as the avian flu continues to plague the nation, consumers can expect to pay higher prices for eggs, with estimates suggesting a 20% increase in 2025. The ongoing shortage is expected to continue until the virus subsides, leaving consumers to contend with higher costs and limited supply.