With egg prices expected to keep rising in 2025, you might want to consider using grocery store apps to save money.With egg prices expected to keep rising in 2025, you might want to consider using grocery store apps to save money.
Whether it’s empty grocery store shelves or restaurant menus tacked with surcharges, the rising cost of eggs is hard to miss.
The national average for a dozen eggs now tops $4, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data — up 65% from a year ago — with prices in some states exceeding $12. In January alone, egg prices jumped 15.2%, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the monthly increase in take-home grocery costs, according to consumer price data released Wednesday.
The recent run up in prices is due to a resurgence of avian flu that killed about 17.2 million egg-laying hens in November and December, accounting for nearly half of all birds killed by the virus in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
With the egg supply expected to remain tight, prices could rise another 20.3% in 2025, according to a USDA outlook released Jan. 24. For consumers, keeping grocery budgets in check may take extra effort, from shopping around to using coupons and rewards apps.
If you’re looking for the best egg prices, The Krazy Coupon Lady tracks weekly deals at major grocery chains and highlights the lowest prices nationwide. While costs vary by location, the listings give shoppers a general idea of where to find the best deals and how prices are trending.
Trader Joe’s is the “clear winner” when it comes to consistently having the lowest egg prices, Kristin McGrath, a Krazy Coupon Lady shopping expert, tells CNBC Make It. Currently, a dozen eggs sell for $3.49 at the chain, or about $0.29 per egg, according to data from The Krazy Coupon Lady. Prices are based on in-store shopping in cities across the U.S.
Trader Joe’s lower egg prices are likely due to the chain buying directly from suppliers, keeping a smaller, more manageable product selection and relying on private-label goods to avoid brand markups and control costs.
In general, anything around $0.30 per egg is currently a good price, says McGrath.
However, local grocery stores may have even better deals, especially when they run promotions or offer digital coupons, McGrath says. “Some local stores will run a really good deal on eggs just to get people in the store.”
To ensure that you’re getting the best prices in the the long run, here are four tips McGrath recommends:
- Use store apps to access digital coupons and discounts. Many grocery chains offer weekly deals and app-exclusive savings on essentials like eggs.
- Join loyalty programs at stores like Kroger, Safeway and Albertsons. These programs often provide rewards points and member-only promotions that can help lower grocery costs over time.
- Use cash-back apps like Ibotta, which has recently been offering rebates on egg purchases to offset rising costs. “Every Friday in February, Ibotta is running a deal where they give you a cash-back rebate” that covers “the difference in egg prices from a year ago,” says McGrath.
- Compare prices weekly. “It changes every week as retailers are rolling with the punches and offering different promos to get people in their stores,” says McGrath.
If a local store offers the cheapest prices for eggs, consider shopping earlier in the day to ensure stock isn’t sold out, McGrath adds. Some retailers, including Costco and Trader Joe’s, have even placed individual limits on purchases to discourage hoarding.
And while using store apps adds a few extra steps to the shopping process, the savings can add up in the long run. “It takes extra time, but what other choice do shoppers have?” says McGrath.
As she puts it, couponers are “forged in the fire” of everyday staples “suddenly becoming very expensive.”
Want to up your AI skills and be more productive? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Use AI to Be More Successful at Work. Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, tips for effective prompt-writing and mistakes to avoid.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.