Justice Department Charges Top Egg Producers With Price Fixing

The United States Department of Justice charged executives at the three largest egg producers in the United States with price fixing. Federal prosecutors allege these executives secretly colluded to inflate the market price of eggs, taking advantage of a period of extreme market volatility to artificially drive up costs for consumers.

This activity coincided with a massive price spike in March 2025, when egg prices reached an all-time high of $6.23 per dozen. The Justice Department notes that while an avian flu outbreak decimated hen populations and triggered panic buying and restaurant surcharges, the defendants used these conditions as cover for illegal collusion.

Market conditions have since shifted, and current egg prices have declined by nearly 65% from the 2025 peak. The investigation seeks to determine the full extent of the coordinated efforts to manipulate the market during the supply crisis. The charges mark a significant effort by federal regulators to address corporate opportunism during public health and agricultural emergencies.