While it is still relatively inexpensive to purchase a dozen eggs, consumers may have noticed the rising costs over the past few months.
The widespread outbreak of bird flu in early 2022 made the price of eggs skyrocket to almost $5 per dozen in January 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Prices have decreased since then, but beginning in November 2023, the average price began to creep back up to over $3 per dozen by July 2024.
Rising egg costs: Eggflation isn't over yet: Why experts say egg prices will be going up
This cost is more than double the average price of $1.20 in July 2019. Going back to 1980 when this data was first tracked, the average price never exceeded $3 before 2023.
Here is what we know about the recent rising egg costs, whether or not we will see an increase in the price of other basic grocery items and how it compares to the change in price of gasoline.
What is behind the recent increasing cost of eggs?
According to Giant Eagle, bird flu is still the chief reason for rising egg costs.
"The product costs and retail price of eggs across the grocery industry has risen due to a substantial increase in demand happening alongside reduced availability as a result of (bird flu)," Jannah Jablonowski, spokesperson for Giant Eagle, said.
An outbreak of the bird flu – in November 2023 in particular – has led to the continuing increase of the average cost of a dozen eggs. The outbreak created a reduced egg supply , while demand for the eggs has always remained high, thus the high prices for egg cartons.
The migration of birds was the likely cause of the winter spike of bird flu infection cases in 2023. This coupled with the high demand of eggs around the holiday season is what led to this surge in prices.
More than 100 million birds have been affected by the bird flu virus since the 2022 outbreak, meaning the number of egg-laying hens has been dramatically reduced, according to the Center for Disease Control .
Just recently, a commercial egg farm in Colorado reported over 1 million chickens were affected by the virus in July 2024. Another commercial egg farm in Iowa reported over 4 million chickens were infected in May 2024.
Will the cost of other grocery basics also rise?
The rising cost of groceries may not be as significant as compared to years past, but they are still higher than in the years before the pandemic.
Food prices between August 2023 and August 2024 rose 2.2%, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The average price for meats and poultry rose 3.2% over the last year while non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by an average of 1.3%. Cereal and baked goods fell by an average price of 0.3% this past year while fruit and vegetable prices fell 0.2%.
Food prices overall increased 9.9% in 2022 and 5.8% in 2023.
What about gas? Have those prices increased?
The average price for a gallon of gas in Akron is $2.76 as of Tuesday, according to Gas Buddy . This is down from an average price of $3.31 per gallon on Aug. 26.
Akron's average gas price is below the current national average of $3.16.
Both figures are down from a year ago, when prices averaged around $3.50 per gallon in Akron and almost $3.80 nationally in September 2023.
Prices have been trending down as of late, with the high for 2024 coming back in April at $3.72 per gallon. That price surpasses the high for the national average, which also came in April, at around $3.70 per gallon.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Price of eggs continues to increase in Ohio while gas prices decline
Local News
