The familiar hum of sizzling bacon and the crackling of eggs envelops Chris Barton as he toils away at his grill in the Pepper Pod Restaurant on February 13, 2025, in Newport, Kentucky. Amid this ordinary scene, President Donald Trump unabashedly trumpets an alleged 50% plunge in egg prices, a claim born out of the wholesales terrain where an actual dip in prices is yet to strongly resonate with everyday consumers. On Trump’s inaugural day, January 21, the wholesale price of eggs sat at a startling $6.55 but by March 28, it had plummeted to a mere $3. A significant decrease indeed, but one needs to ask, did this benefit actually reach the consumers?
Examining prices at a retail level, we stumble upon figures that starkly contrast this acclaimed 50% drop. Data from February presents the average price of eggs to be around $5.90, a noticeable increase from the previous month’s price of about $4.90. It’s interesting and often overlooked that retail prices regularly trail around three weeks behind wholesale prices, as noted in a March report from the Agriculture Department. This factor conveniently slips away in midst of Trump’s grandiose statements.
Delving into past instances, Trump skillfully steered the conversation back to egg prices in his Rose Garden address on April 2, amidst talking up his tariff increases. His ability to deflect from current issues to his favored campaign subject of 2024 is noticeable. Unsurprisingly, he leverages this opportunity to reignite critiques of the Biden administration, particularly focusing on the harrowing demise of 100 million egg-laying chickens due to bird flu or subsequent euthanasia to halt the disease’s spread.
The Biden administration, in response to the crisis, implemented strategies which, quite unfortunately, led to widespread egg shortages and consequential price hikes. What did this mean for consumers? Unsavory scenes like barren egg shelves at a Whole Foods outlet in Bethesda, Maryland on February 11, 2025, became an unwelcome reality. Wholesale prices might have dipped, but the evidence was not reflected in the retail sector.
Let’s revisit those January 21 figures, a date that marked the commencement of Trump’s leadership. Wholesale egg prices were $6.55 but by March 28, these figures had nearly halved to $3. An impressive drop of over 50%, which could’ve been a beacon of hope if only retail prices had mirrored this trend in the predicted time-frame.
However, information from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics narrates a grimmer story for consumers. Retail egg prices as of late February were approximately $5.90 for a dozen grade-A, large eggs. This was a rise from around $4.90 in January, marking a roughly 16% increase and a stark contrast to the low wholesale prices. As December’s Biden-era records show, these prices were significantly higher than the $4.14 value at the time, and even outpaced the $4.82 peak from January 2023.
Though these numbers seem disconcerting now, things might be looking up, or down as it were, for retail egg prices in the months to come. The Agriculture Department’s weekly egg markets overview from March 28 offers a glimmer of hope. It notes that changes in wholesale prices can take up to three weeks to seep into retail dairy cases. Therefore, shoppers should expect to see a gradual decrease in prices soon.
However, this optimism needs to be tempered with an unfortunate blow dealt to the egg sector. A bout of bird influenza has led to a decrease in demand for eggs within the U.S., leading to increased reliance on imports to boost supply. As the economics standard ‘demand’ for eggs has fallen, there’s more alignment between supply and demand resulting in lower prices, explains Michael Walden.
This downturn does not symbolize the end though. Walden optimistically states that the ultimate ‘cure’ for this spiral will come with a rise in hen-laying numbers, provided adequate time for recovery after the bird flu disaster. This could be a sign of respite for shoppers, although the recent drop in egg prices can be attributed more to decreased demand compared to increased supply.
The USDA acts as the bearer of good news, stating on March 20 that it has taken steps such as easing restrictions and providing monetary support to farmers. In an attempt to lower egg prices, it has undertaken various initiatives to give relief to the consumers. But Walden seems to think otherwise, attributing the price decrease more to decreased demand than to the department’s efforts.
As Anderson elucidates, the crux of the issue lies with the bird flu outbreak. Had it not occurred, we wouldn’t have seen such a spike in egg prices. Now, going past the blame games, one who truly concerns about the interests of the consumers might ask, what are the tangible benefits they are receiving?
Trump maintains his narrative of a 50% decrease in egg prices since he took office. True, the wholesale price of eggs did witness a commendable fall from $6.55 per dozen in January to $3 by late March. However, retail prices tell a different tale, lingering at high levels of $5.90 per dozen in February which were higher than those from the previous month and even those experienced during the Biden era.
While the wholesale and retail prices seem to be engaged in a contradictory dance, experts argue that consumers should soon start noticing the purported reductions. Therefore, one may be justified in observing these developments with a reserved grain of salt. After all, in the world of politics and economics, every silver lining tends to hide a cloud.