Retail Egg Prices Hit Record High

Despite assurances from President Trump and other top officials, retail egg prices have hit a record high of $6.23 per dozen, up from $5.90 in March, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. The increase comes despite a drop in wholesale prices and no new bird flu outbreaks at egg farms, the AP reports. Trump has claimed victory in lowering egg prices, but a steep drop in wholesale prices has yet to result in savings at grocery stores, reports the New York Times. Wholesale prices have dropped from a peak of more than $8 per dozen to $3.26 as of last week, according to the Department of Agriculture.

David Ortega, a food economist at Michigan State University, tells the Times that it could be weeks before the wholesale price drop results in lower prices at the retail level. "All indications are that there's some relief coming for consumers," he says. "Even then, there are a lot of other factors that determine the price of eggs." Experts note that retailers don't have to lower prices to reflect how much the wholesale price fell. Demand for eggs is typically elevated until after Easter, which falls on April 20 this year, the AP notes. Bird flu outbreaks caused major price spikes earlier this year, when more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to stop the spread of the disease. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)