The price of eggs keep increasing and here’s why

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – A common item at the Grocery Store that is now in higher demand as the prices just keep increasing. 

Hard boiled, fried, scrambled, and now harder to come by. The prices of eggs are increasing in grocery stores all over whether it is a local store or retail. 

We hear from the Producer Manager at a small-town grocery store in Southern Illinois, Darla Cowell, tells us she noticed the prices of their eggs went up and several customers have voiced their frustrations. 

“I’d say about three weeks ago; they started going up. Some of them just shake their head and say, no way, I am not paying that. And you know, they’re going to go to Walmart and they’re going to find they’re just almost just as high there too. So yeah, they’re not happy about it at all,” said Cowell. 

Cowell says she went shopping this morning and took pictures of the prices of eggs at Walmart to compare them to the local store she works at. 

“Yes, and some of them are. I mean, they’re a little bit lower, but that’s, that’s going to happen. Walmart. Walmart that, you know, they got contracts out there. They get a better price than what we do but, very comparable,” said Cowell. 

The question is: Why does the price of eggs keep increasing?

Cowell says she believes it ties into the bird flu as the birds that get sick have to be killed, resulting in not producing as many eggs as before. 

“Absolutely. It’s all got to do with the bird flu. And they’ve had to kill all these chickens because of this. And so, they’re trying to slow down the, not the production, but slow down the people buying them so that they don’t run out,” said Cowell. 

This affects people outside of grocery stores too as local residents grow their own produce and eggs as they try and sell them to make profit which is now becoming harder and harder for them.

“We have a lady that is local that she brings eggs in to, and she’s upped her prices, too, because the demand is so huge for her. She can’t keep up,” said Cowell. 

Cowell says being behind the scenes in the grocery store right now is frightening as eggs are harder to come by but so is produce. 

Due to the cold weather down south in Georgia, Florida, Texas it is making produce a little bit harder to be stocked up and ready as it’s unable to grow in cold weather conditions. 

“But think about it. Say it’s $8 for 12 eggs. How many meals do you get out of 12 eggs,” said Cowell. 

In the end Cowell says she understands paying a little extra when it comes to eggs and hopes that customers will take the bird flu into consideration and remain patient.