Trump has vowed financial relief, but Americans say they’re struggling
President Donald Trump has pledged to end inflation and cut food costs soon after he takes office. This is what Americans are thinking in 100 days.
U.S. egg prices fell in April for the first time in months, but dozens of Grade A eggs are still higher as eggs average out to $5.12.
The total egg cost fell 12.7% last month, according to the Labor Bureau’s Consumer Price Index. The decline represents a decline to the first month since October 2024. A series of price increases over the last few months have been linked to a long-standing bird flu outbreak that has affected American poultry farms and egg-selling chickens. In March, the average price for a dozen Grade A eggs reached a record $6.23.
“I think this is a pretty big move given that we were at record levels a few months ago,” said Bernd Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation. “It’s not necessarily going to stay like this, but this is great in recent years.”
Nelson believes that the majority of prices have been lowered due to cooperation between farmers and the USDA to implement biosecurity, or measures taken to prevent the spread of avian flu on farms.
Eylem Senyuz, senior investment strategy analyst at Truist, said prices are also falling as U.S. sellers import more eggs. He said the reduction in the heat and energy and feed costs required to care for chickens are also contributing to the reduction.
Changes in consumer behavior can also affect prices. If you’re used to paying $2 for dozens of eggs, you might stop buying eggs.
White House spokesman Kush Desai celebrated the decline in a statement Tuesday, promoting other news from the CPI report, which also showed cooling inflation.
“The CPI report shows that Americans are experiencing true financial relief. Prices for groceries, gas and eggs are falling, but actual wages are rising,” Desai said. “President Trump’s first American policy created a historic economy in his first term, and he lays the foundation for repeated success in his second term.”
But is the drop in egg prices temporary or are you going to stick?
Will egg prices continue to fall or will they rise again?
In April, USDA still anticipates a significant increase in egg prices this year, forecasting a 54.6% increase in 2025.
Nelson said the USDA forecast is based in part on the assumption that farmers will continue to fight the avian flu.
But “If things are as calm as they are now, if we have a relatively low case load, we might see stronger biosecurity do the job and start to show some success and lower egg prices,” he said.
Several other factors, including production speed, will affect the price of eggs over the coming months. Even the peace deal between Russia and Ukraine can change egg prices for US consumers, as two of the world’s leading grain producers could potentially change egg prices for US consumers, and lower the costs of chicken feed.
“If you just look at the input prices, energy, agriculture and the import process that has begun, and you need to guess what the numbers should be for next month, it should be lower, not higher,” Senus said.
Simon Kucher partner Ellen Kang said that despite efforts to build a domestic supply, the size of egg-soaked flocks remains significantly smaller than before the bird’s fluorescence, making it difficult to know where egg prices will be months from now. She said the supply chain is not “meaningly protected” in any way from six months ago.
“We are subject to any kind of volatility or major shock to the supply system if there is another big outbreak,” Kang said. “So I don’t know if Solve is sustainable or not. We’re lucky and we can stick to it, but who knows?”
Changes to customs policy also add price uncertainty. According to Senyuz and Kan, eggs and anything that affects production are likely to mean an increase in costs.
Did groceries get cheaper overall in April?
Grocery prices fell 0.4% in April and almost rose 0.5% in the previous month. Other breakfast essentials also fell, with cereal prices falling 2.5% and bacon costs down 1%.
Other food staples have become more expensive, such as bread, which has risen by 1.6% and fresh fish and seafood, which has risen by 0.8%.
Grocery costs have declined on average, but the report found that dining out prices have become more expensive, up about 4% from the past year. Prices for foods that are away from home rose 0.4% in April, rising three times in a row each month.
Reach Rachel Barber at rbarber@usatoday.com Follow her at x @rachelbarber_
