Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation into the rising retail price of eggs, which has doubled in the past year and contributed to inflation. The inquiry will include whether large egg producers have colluded in raising prices or restricting the supply, the Wall Street Journal reports. The producers have said the avian flu outbreak is to blame; a statement by a trade group, the United Egg Producers, said egg farmers are "doing everything they can to fight back against this deadly bird flu outbreak."
More than 150 million chickens, turkeys, and egg-laying hens have died in the outbreak since 2022, the Agriculture Department reports. Letters sent by the department to some egg companies for the investigation told them to preserve documents concerning their communication about prices and the flu with customers, competitors, and other companies. The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the price rose 53% year over year, per CNBC. "Farmers know people are frustrated and they are frustrated too by the situation," said the head of an industry marketing group. "They know they are not able to put on the volume of eggs that people want."
Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation into the issue last month, per ABC News. "You should look to the dominant food and grocery companies that have made record profits on the backs of working families who have had to pay higher prices," they wrote to President Trump. "These companies often exploit crises like pandemics and avian flu outbreaks as an opportunity to raise prices beyond what is needed to cover rising costs." And the Agriculture Department announced its own plan to lower prices last month. (More eggs stories.)
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