Have Americans Stopped Buying Eggs?

Over 30% of Americans have stopped buying eggs as prices soar past $5 a dozen. The cost spike, fueled by a devastating bird flu outbreak and delayed response under the previous administration, is reshaping grocery habits nationwide.

Key Facts:

Egg prices jumped from $1.49 in 2018 to $5.18 per dozen in 2025.
A Clarify Capital survey found over 30% of Americans have stopped buying eggs due to high costs.
Since 2022, bird flu outbreaks have killed 127 million egg-laying hens.
The USDA projects egg prices could rise another 40% this year.
The USDA plans to spend $1 billion on vaccine research, biosecurity, and farmer relief.

The Rest of The Story:

A new study from Clarify Capital shows that more than 30% of Americans are no longer buying eggs, frustrated by steep prices now averaging over $5 per dozen.

About 10% of consumers are turning to alternatives like plant-based eggs or flaxseed to fill the gap.

The price surge is the result of back-to-back Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks that have decimated U.S. poultry flocks since 2022.

More than 166 million birds have died, including 127 million egg-laying hens.

This disruption left the nation’s egg supply deeply compromised.

The Department of Agriculture, now under President Trump, is continuing emergency measures including biosecurity investments and vaccine research.

But supply recovery will take time.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department is investigating whether egg producers manipulated supply to keep prices high.

Commentary:

The bird flu outbreak didn’t have to spiral into a crisis.

Under former President Biden, the response was slow and scattershot.

Millions of egg-laying hens were wiped out with no rapid containment, and no serious effort to replenish flocks quickly.

Americans are now paying the price for that failure at the checkout line.

Eggs have always been a core part of the American diet—used in breakfast, baking, sauces, and packaged goods.

But when a dozen eggs cost more than a restaurant meal, it’s clear something went terribly wrong.

Some diners are even seeing “egg surcharges” added to their breakfast tabs.

The reality is that families are being forced to change how they eat.

Many have dropped eggs entirely.

That’s not just a blow to tradition—it’s a blow to nutrition.

When a food this basic becomes unaffordable for millions, we have a national economic problem.

Egg shortages don’t just hit grocery budgets—they ripple across the food industry.

From bakeries to school cafeterias, everyone feels it.

And with the hen population still far below normal, there’s no end in sight.

President Trump’s administration is now left to clean up the mess.

The current USDA leadership has allocated funds for farmer relief, better security, and long-term solutions like vaccines.

But even the best plans take time to show results.

In the meantime, Americans are being asked to wait—again.

Had the prior administration acted faster and more effectively, consumers might not be facing these prices today.

Instead, inflation got ignored, supply chains broke down, and now a simple egg is out of reach for too many.

The Bottom Line:

The egg crisis didn’t happen overnight.

It was years in the making and worsened by a weak federal response under former President Biden.

President Trump’s team is now addressing the issue, but recovery won’t be immediate.

Until more hens are laying, Americans will keep paying.