Charlotte egg prices have risen by 186% at grocers. When is relief expected?

Charlotte grocery shoppers may be feeling a little shell-shocked picking up eggs at their local store.

The average price for a dozen large eggs at Charlotte’s top four stores by market share skyrocketed 186% over the past year, according to a Charlotte Observer price comparison last month.

A carton of eggs averaged $1.60 in December 2021 compared to $5 on Thursday, Jan. 11, at Walmart, Harris Teeter, Food Lion and Publix. Last month, the average was $4.54, the Observer analysis found.

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Eggs saw the biggest price leap among 11 food staples at 11 Charlotte supermarkets in an Observer comparison last month.

A dozen eggs at Aldi in December 2021 cost 79 cents compared to last year’s lowest price of $2.99 at Harris Teeter and Target. Publix had the highest egg price at $6.41 just last month.

Because eggs have been inexpensive, people are noticing the price jump more than other items, Lisa Prince, executive director of North Carolina Egg Association told the Observer. The organization represents the commercial egg industry.

“Eggs are still one of the lowest-cost proteins available,” Prince said. “What I’m hearing is the price has already started to decline some and will continue to decline in the coming months.”

Local egg price comparison

Here’s how much a dozen large eggs at Charlotte’s top four grocery stores cost online comparing December 2021 prices to December 2022 and through Thursday:

▪ Walmart: $1.86 to $4.46 to $5.16.

▪ Harris Teeter: $1.19 to $2.99 to $3.99

▪ Food Lion: 91 cents to $4.29 to $4.89

▪ Publix: $2.43 to $6.41 to $5.97

There are several factors behind the cost increase, Prince said.

Why eggs cost more

▪ The bird flu outbreak made its way across the country, depleting a near-record number of egg-laying hens, Prince said.

The U.S. is nearing a record number of birds affected by the flu outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022, more than 49 million birds in 46 states died as a result of bird flu virus infection or were culled (killed) due to exposure to infected birds, the CDC reported in November.

“It takes time to get a farm up and running again,” Prince said. “The good news is most of the farms affected by the flu are producing again.”

The avian flu has impacted North Carolina, too. Since last spring, backyard flocks and commercial poultry farms have tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza in Durham, Union, Onslow, Wake, Johnston and Wayne counties, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“The threat of high path avian influenza is nationwide and likely will remain through the fall and winter,” State Veterinarian Mike Martin said in a statement last month in the Onslow County report. “Commercial operations and backyard flock owners should continue to follow strict biosecurity measures including keeping birds enclosed without access to wild birds or other domestic flocks when possible.”

▪ Supply chain challenges and inflation price hikes also include shipping and packaging, feed, labor and diesel fuel, Prince. Everything it takes to run a farm and get the eggs on store shelves have been affected.

Global corn supplies have been tight since the pandemic started in 2020, due to transportation problems and strong demand, according to Reuters.

▪ Eggs are a commodity market, meaning pricing is based on supply and demand set by grocery retailers, Prince said.

The price for eggs always goes up around the upcoming holidays when more people are baking and drops in the summer, she said.

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Finding the best price on eggs and substitutes

Like everyone else, Prince said, she’s looking at egg displays at different stores to find the best deals.

Her suggestion: Do a price retail shop comparison online.

If you’re struggling to find or afford eggs, there are alternatives you can try in your cooking and baking.

There are multiple plant-based egg substitutes on the market today. Various brands are available at major retailers such as Walmart, Target and Publix, some for less than $4.

Applesauce or mashed banana can serve as a substitute for eggs when baking. The rule of thumb is to use a quarter cup of applesauce or one banana for every egg the recipe you’re using calls for.

You can also combine a tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seed with three tablespoons of water to make an egg replacement, PETA recommends.

Peeping ahead

Some relief is in sight for consumers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest “eggs market overview,” as suppliers and stores look to replenish their shelves.

“Recent record high egg prices have begun to soften but it will take some before this is reflected at the dairy case,” the report said.

A drop in demand for eggs after the holiday season provides some breathing room, but, the report cautions, demand “remains at a higher level entering the new year than was experienced in 2022.”

“As the new year gets underway, more than a few consumers are looking to modify their dietary choices to support freshly-minted healthier lifestyle resolutions and eggs remain a popular go-to option,” the USDA says.

Inflation declined in December for the sixth consecutive month, to 6.5%, the federal government said in its January report. Grocery prices rose 0.2% from November to December but are up 11.8% in the last year, the Associated Press reported.

“It is going to come back down but we have to make it through inflation and repopulating,” Prince said of egg prices. “It will correct itself eventually.”

And, keep in mind that egg purchases help North Carolina farmers, Prince said. The eight commercial farms listed on the N.C. Egg Association website, including Simpson’s Farm in Monroe, supply a variety of eggs to local retailers like Walmart, Harris Teeter, Food Lion and Lidl.

“Most are delivered within 48 hours after being laid,” Prince said.

Is it cheaper to buy the chicken or the egg?

Even with soaring egg prices, it’s still cheaper than raising hens.

“It costs between $150 to $300 per year to buy a dozen eggs per week from a grocery store and around $500 per year to raise chickens that will produce a dozen eggs per week,” according to Backyard Sidekick, a website dedicated to everything backyard related.

Raising backyard chickens spiked during the pandemic, and it’s fun, Prince said, but it’s not cheaper than buying eggs at a store.

“You have to take care of the hens and collect eggs every day, like a full-time pet,” she said.