Soaring egg prices lead uptick in grocery costs

Apr 25

Proteins get more expensive as produce buyers see seasonal relief

By Forrest J.H.

Food prices are on the up. According to Oven Light Journal’s staple food price measurements, groceries went up an average of 0.89 percent between February and March of 2025.

Eggs lead the way by far, picking up 33 cents per dozen over one month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is a nearly 6-percent increase.

California-based Eggs Unlimited points to bird flu as the main factor influencing egg prices. Avian influenza has infected over 100 million chickens, most of them egg layers. California, Oregon, Washington and Utah – all big egg producing states – have been particularly hard hit. According to Eggs Unlimited, cage-free laws in those states means chickens may be more likely to come in contact with each other and contaminated materials.

“Cage-free systems can be more challenging to clean and disinfect, making it harder to control the spread of the virus,” according to Eggs Unlimited.

The rate of beef and chicken price inflation is not far behind, with beef raising an average of eight cents on the pound and chicken raising four cents per pound.

With spring weather has come a dramatic drop in tomato prices, however. At just $1.82 per pound, the price of tomatoes dropped 1.6 percent last month. Tomato prices typically peak in the winter, but even still their prices are notably low. This time last year, tomatoes were about 20 cents per pound more expensive, and their 2024 peak price was about 10 percent lower than 2023.

Bread loaves saw a similar price drop, landing at an average $2.30 per loaf.

Flour, rice and milk all saw slight increases in price closely correlated with OLJ’s general food price metric.

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This article’s ingredients

H5N1 Bird Flu: How It Will Affect Egg Supply Chain in 2025

Eggs Unlimited

March 5, 2025

https://www.eggsunlimited.com/the-devastating-impact-of-h5n1-bird-flu-on-the-egg-supply-chain-in-2025/

Bureau of Labor Statistics data finder

Consumer Price Index – Average Price Data

https://beta.bls.gov/dataQuery/find?st=0&r=20&s=popularity%3AD&fq=survey:[ap]&more=0

Bureau of Labor Statistics