When Will Egg Prices Drop? Experts Say It Depends

Egg prices continue to rise as customers face shortages of products. So when will egg prices begin to drop? Experts say it depends on several factors.

Per CNET, consumers continue to face egg shortages due to the ongoing bird flu epidemic. This health hazard has forced farmers to depopulate their flocks to contain the spread of disease.

Thus, with fewer birds to lay eggs, this results in higher supermarket prices. The average price of a dozen eggs lands at around $4 or more, and the shortage has led to some supermarkets limiting the number of dozen eggs customers can purchase. In some stores, it’s two dozen, while others generously allow four.

But when will consumers get some welcome relief from the rise in egg prices? Experts don’t have a clear-cut answer.

“Unless you can forecast the course of the bird flu in chickens — and I can’t — I don’t see how you can forecast the price of eggs,” Robert Fry, chief economist of Robert Fry Economics, told CNET.

David A. Anderson, a professor of economics and business at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, noted, “If the bird flu outbreak does not become significantly worse, I expect that egg prices will take a downward path. Over time, destroyed hen populations will be replaced, new egg sources will appear in response to the high prices, and consumers with low-to-moderate preferences for egg products will adapt to substitutes, especially in the places with the highest egg prices. These increases in supply and decreases in demand will usher the prices lower.”

The USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report from January shared that the price of eggs should drop back down to around $2.50 per dozen in the second quarter of 2025. It also expects that by the third quarter, prices should trend downward to $2.10.

However, this price drop is dependent on farmers containing the spread of bird flu. Prices could continue to spike if the illness maintains a hold on flocks.

How High Could Egg Prices Jump?

Egg prices continue to skyrocket with no end in sight https://t.co/B2SbMAbajE

— NBC 15 News (@mynbc15) February 2, 2025

Federal data shows that the average price of a dozen large, grade-A eggs was $4.15 in December 2024, up 14% from $3.65 in November. The chart shows that current egg prices are almost at the level of when prices rose astronomically to almost $5 a dozen in 2023.

The highest price recorded was in January 2023, when the average price of a dozen large eggs was $4.82. Months later, the price dropped just a little over $2.

Two elements are driving the price increases: the bird flu outbreak and state laws about cage-free eggs. Apart from bird flu, several states have laws requiring that all eggs sold be “cage-free,” meaning flocks are not raised in cages. These types of eggs are typically more expensive than conventional eggs even without the bird flu issue. 

To keep costs down, experts suggest buying eggs in bulk and shopping around for the best prices. For those looking for alternatives, several substitutes can be used in place of eggs for baking and cooking. Options include aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas), a mixture of vinegar and baking soda, liquid egg replacements, powdered eggs, applesauce or mashed bananas, and silken tofu.