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$5 a dozen: major egg companies may be using avian flu to hike US prices, new report finds
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2025
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They can hike prices as much as they want, there is nothing illegal or even wrong (arguably) about that. As long as people buy enough for it to increase profits, it's obvious they will do that. That's the reason free competition is important. Free as in preventing monopolies and cartels.
But Americans have lost interest in free competition, and prefer models that maximize profits now.
They may actually be hurting themselves in the long run. The amount of people I know that have decided to get chickens since the pandemic has increased far more than I ever expected it would. And if you've ever had your own chickens before, you know that there's plenty to go around and you share with friends and neighbors. So not only are they permanently losing more customers to people getting chickens, they're also losing customers to friends of people that have chickens. Plus all these people are getting much higher quality eggs from happy chickens, so why would they ever go back? I know not everyone can, but, the more people that start raising chickens the better!
Hopefully some of those that get chickens, figure they might as well have more chickens now they are at it anyway, and begin to supply to local supermarkets too.
If they want to sell commercially they have to meet a bunch of regulations at the state and federal level that will likely make their eggs prohibitively expensive at that scale. Most people I know that have enough chickens to consider selling the eggs just put up a roadside stand or use word-of-mouth advertising to get customers. Anything more and they run the risk of getting smacked down by USDA or FDA or even state regulators.
I hadn't thought about it, but that would truly be the ideal situation. Imagine going to the store and all the eggs are from local's extra stock. I know it couldn't currently happen that way based on what regulations allow, but I can certainly imagine.
I've looked into raising chickens. There is so much that goes into it. Between their coop and bedding, cleaning and feed, the upfront cost alone is cost prohibitive. On top of that, everything wants to eat chickens. So if you have any predators (foxes, wolves, even dogs), they'll go after your chickens.
The egg prices have me seriously reconsidering it though
The fact that the upfront cost can be prohibitive and actual effort is involved but people are still doing it should tell you just how bad things have gotten. Plus, the more people that do it, the more they can teach others and help them out. I know people who got chickens after a neighbor got chickens and they saw how beneficial it was and if their neighbors can do it they certainly could as well.
It's amazing in hindsight just how much of our capitalist free market was just a show to compete with the Soviet Union. Now our biggest rivals are both just corrupt oligarchies too.
Something big is due for a change.
In the US there are exceptions to the charge anything standard, such as limitations on gouging on gas pricing during emergencies and laws against companies colliding on price hikes. The protections kick in when customers don't have a choice, and it is possible that all egg companies raising prices to seek profits while blaming something that has far less of an effect than the prices indicate could potentially fall into one of those two categories.
Not that it matters as the penalties are always far less than the abuse, but pricing in the US isn't a complete wild west.
Chicken egg shortage is not an emergency. gas is irreplaceable for transport, eggs are not irreplaceable for food.
Bicycles, walking.
People who hoarded toilet paper and hand sanitizer were punished despite soap and water existing.
https://www.today.com/news/brothers-who-hoarded-17-700-bottles-hand-sanitizer-forced-donate-t176028
What do you think these companies were freely competing for? It's profits. It has always been profits.
Cartels and monopolies are what happens when you have "free competition" for a bit, and then someone "wins" the competition.