Most buyers cringe at grocery receipts, but one item has skyrocketed in price. So much so that you might skip breakfast.
Egg prices have skyrocketed—more than any other store item. The latest Consumer Price Index inflation
data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the morning staple is 30% more expensive than last year.
Gas prices have raised transportation expenses, but a bird flu outbreak has damaged egg-laying hens, causing
cartons of a dozen to cost more. USDA reports large culls of hens, particularly in Iowa, where over 13 million birds were killed.
186 commercial flocks have tested positive for avian flu, affecting 40 million birds in the U.S. As producers try to meet demand, product prices remain high
This outbreak isn't as bad as the 2015 pandemic. Avian flu affected 50 million birds, 10 million more than now. Recovery took nearly a year for
the egg sector. Bloomberg reports that growers may switch to cage-free farming this time, prolonging the consequences.
Avian flu doesn't infect people, therefore buyers shouldn't become sick. CDC says transmission has been infrequent and limited to animal handlers.
According to the CPI report, grocery inflation is currently 12% higher than in April 2021, up from 8.5%.