Per capita egg consumption

In 2025, per capita egg consumption in the United States is estimated to reach 37.8 pounds, reflecting a 1.7% increase from the previous year. This incremental growth is primarily influenced by eggs' status as an essential food item, stable demand despite ongoing inflationary pressures, and a shift in consumer spending toward essential, high-protein foods. Market fundamentals remain relatively constant, with strong consumer demand underpinned by the nutritional benefits of eggs. However, persistent macroeconomic uncertainties and production-related pressures such as avian influenza outbreaks continue to influence both price levels and consumption trends during the year.

Over the five-year period from 2020 to 2025, per capita egg consumption demonstrated modest growth, rising from 36.0 pounds in 2020 to 37.8 pounds in 2025—an overall gain of 0.5% for the period. The early years in this span were characterized by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the egg production industry faced operational constraints due to public health measures, which limited supply and exerted upward pressure on prices. These supply disruptions, alongside changes in consumer routines such as reduced dining out, initially restrained demand for eggs despite increased cooking at home. As the economy began to reopen in 2021, operators worked to restore capacity, but persistent production challenges kept egg prices elevated, further tempering recovery in demand.

In 2022 and subsequent years, inflationary pressures became a more pronounced factor affecting consumer food budgets. Although higher prices could be expected to reduce demand, eggs have retained their role as a cost-effective protein source. Rising essential goods prices made consumers more cost-conscious, but staple products like eggs benefited from their status as dietary necessities. Additionally, per capita consumption rebounded as downstream markets fully reopened and consumers returned to pre-pandemic behaviors, with a 0.5% increase observed in 2023. The emergence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in various states intermittently limited production growth, contributing to volatility in pricing and consumption trends during the period. Despite these challenges, consumption expanded by 3.0% in 2024 and continued to climb in 2025.

Across the 2020-2025 window, per capita egg consumption growth has been limited but steady, shaped by intersecting macroeconomic trends including pandemic recovery, supply disruptions, inflation, and consumer adaptation to changing food prices. Eggs' affordability, relative to other proteins, and their nutritional profile supported ongoing, if moderate, increases in consumption. The sector faced both supply-side shocks and demand-side behavioral adjustments, with long-term consumption patterns demonstrating resilience amid short-term volatility.