Eggs are a kitchen staple in households across America, generally known for both their versatility and affordability. But in recent years—and particularly the past few months—eggs have also become a flashpoint in conversations about inflation and supply chain challenges. With prices on the rise and shelves intermittently empty, shoppers and industry professionals alike are navigating a dynamic and uncertain market.
Rising Prices and Falling Supply
What’s happening in the egg market?
The price of eggs is on the rise again. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of U.S. egg shoppers say the current price of eggs in their area is somewhat or very expensive, according to Numerator’s latest survey of over 1,000 verified egg buyers. Despite rising prices, demand for eggs has remained strong, leading to shortages at stores across the country—over half (55%) of egg buyers say they’ve noticed shortages or out-of-stocks at their local food retailers in the past month. Shortages were noted at higher rates among urban egg buyers, buyers in the Western U.S., and households who buy their eggs at BJ’s, Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s and Publix.
Price increases have been driven by both supply and demand changes—while avian flu has decreased the supply of egg-laying hens, more Americans have also been purchasing eggs, with household penetration growing about one point throughout 2024. Over two-fifths of buyers say they purchase eggs at least once a week, using them for a variety of purposes including breakfast dishes (86%), ingredients in baked goods (68%), snacking (45%), protein additions to meals (43%), or for savory cooking (33%).
Price Trends and Perceptions
What do shoppers think of egg prices?
Egg prices climbed significantly throughout 2024, with the average price per dozen reaching $4.54 in December, a 47% increase year-over-year. Prices and inflation vary across geographies as well. Although shoppers in urban areas and the Western U.S. spend more per dozen, Midwestern and rural shoppers have experienced the largest relative price increases year-over-year.
Consumer judgements of egg prices track more closely to relative price increases than they do to actual prices paid. For example, rural shoppers were more likely to describe current egg prices as “very expensive” compared to suburban or urban shoppers, who are already accustomed to slightly higher prices. Additionally, Boomers were twice as likely to say eggs were very expensive compared to Gen Z shoppers, who are more likely to live in urban areas and likely lack the same historical context about egg prices.
Willingness to Pay
How much will shoppers pay for a dozen eggs?
The average price egg buyers say they are willing to pay for a dozen eggs is $4.90—two-thirds of shoppers say their max price is between $3 and $5, while fewer than 5% of egg shoppers are willing to pay more than $10 per dozen. Younger shoppers are more willing to pay higher prices, as are Hispanic shoppers and individuals in the Western U.S. and urban areas. Willingness to pay also differs based on where shoppers buy their eggs—Aldi egg buyers are only willing to pay $3.83 per dozen, while Albertson’s egg buyers are willing to pay up to $5.21. Similarly to price perceptions, willingness to pay is influenced by the context in which shoppers operate, including both historical prices and the general egg prices they’ve come to expect in their preferred retailers and geographic locations.
Shortages and Substitutions
How do shoppers react to egg shortages?
When faced with an out of stock on standard eggs, about a quarter of shoppers are willing to trade up to higher priced premium eggs if available (26%), a quarter will check another nearby store (24%), and two-fifths will skip the purchase and check back another time (40%). If premium eggs are not available, the chance of skipping the purchase rises to 48% and checking nearby stores jumps to 42%. If eggs are unavailable or too expensive, some shoppers say they’d substitute with other dairy products, breakfast grains, breakfast meats or liquid egg alternatives, but a quarter wouldn’t substitute with any specific items.
Pack Sizes and Egg Varieties
What types of eggs are most shoppers buying?
When it comes to shell eggs, today’s consumers face increasingly varied options: cage free, free range, bulk sizing and more. Although a dozen eggs is the most popular carton size, at least a third of U.S. egg sales occur in pack sizes larger than 12, representing a significant portion of the market. Nearly half (45%) of egg buyers say they typically purchase standard eggs, while a quarter opt for cage free (27%) or free range (23%) varieties. That said, another quarter of egg shoppers (23%) say they go for whatever eggs are cheapest, emphasizing the importance of pricing in the category.
This preference for low prices is evidenced by private label brands dominating the egg space, accounting for 69% of category dollars in 2024. The top five egg brands last year were Walmart’s Great Value (20.6% share), Costco’s Kirkland Signature (12.7%), Eggland’s Best (7.1%), Kroger brand (5.5%) and Aldi brand (4.2%). The top egg retailers were Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Albertson’s and Aldi, many of which focus on low prices and everyday value.
Egg Market Concerns
What are egg buyers worried about?
The most common consumer concerns regarding eggs at present are affordability (59%) and availability (44%). Just under a third of egg buyers are also concerned about the spread of avian flu impacting egg safety, and a fifth have reduced confidence in egg producers & supply chains or are concerned about contracting salmonella from contaminated eggs. Most consumers report only low levels of concern around potential health risks associated with eggs such as avian flu or salmonella—a fifth are not at all concerned, while only a sixth are highly concerned.
Scrambling for Answers
Eggs have proven their sturdiness as a staple food, maintaining steady demand despite rising prices and occasional shortages. Despite their relative resilience, it’s still important for brands, retailers and supply chain stakeholders to address affordability concerns, optimize inventory, and prepare for future shocks to the supply chain. Tapping into consumer concerns with verified buyer surveys and tracking purchase habits across demographic groups and geographic regions are two ways to stay on top of trends in an ever-evolving market. For more information on this topic, reach out to your Numerator representative or contact our team today.
