Rising inflation is causing the cost of some food items—think eggs, milk, bread, essentials most will use to judge the current state of the economy—to increase substantially. For example, one Walmart customer says the five dozen eggs that she used to purchase for just over $10 had doubled in price the next time she went to the grocery store.
Posted by Nikki Adams (@nikkis_garden_adventure), the video shows this difference in price that she says occurred over a two-month span. The Daily Dot has reached out to her via email and will update this story with any new information.
@nikkis_garden_adventure #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen at what point is it considered price gouging. In the span of a couple of months the eggs doubled in price #eggs#inflation#pricegouging #aintnoway#isthisreal#someoneexplain #beforreal #walmart#pricetohigh ♬ Oh No (Instrumental) – Kreepa
“Y’all, the same eggs I bought two months ago for $10.56, I went to the store today and look how much they were,” she says in the video. “They were $20 today, that—what?”
The increase in cost is likely due to a shortage of egg-laying chickens caused by a bird flu outbreak this fall, with 50.3 million birds impacted, according to CNBC. Included in that number are other egg-laying birds such as ducks and turkeys.
As a result of federal regulations mandating the killing of flocks impacted by bird flu to prevent its spread, roughly 10% of egg-producing hens have been eliminated.
Combined with holiday baking, the egg shortage is sending prices through the roof.
Some viewers equated the price increase to practices like price-gouging, although others countered with similar prices being seen across the board at other grocery stores. One viewer, who said they work in a local grocery store, wrote that their boss has stopped stocking eggs, as they are too expensive to purchase from suppliers.
“Literally though Im so convinced a lot of this doesnt actually have to do w inflation & is more just price gauging & stores using that as an excuse,” one commenter wrote.
“Literally went to staterbrothers to get eggs that i always get they were 25.99 i said ooop,” another user said.
“For everyone saying it’s JUST walmart, go look at aldi’s 12 pk eggs, over .50 more than Walmart’s and they’re supposed to be cheaper than Walmart,” a third shared.
Others suggested—joking or not—that they might acquire some chickens themselves to remove the middleman.
“All eggs have gone up. gonna get me some chickens,” one commenter said. “Cheaper to feed them daily then buy eggs weekly.”
“Everybody about to have backyards full of chickens with them prices,” another user stated.
“Bruh eggs are ridiculous, I’m about to go buy me some chickens,” a further TikToker wrote.
Update 11:38am CT December 27: In an email exchange with the Daily Dot, Nikki said she has noticed additional items increase in cost at Walmart, and that she is not convinced a bird flu outbreak would have caused the price to effectively double in that short a span of time.
“I know to some that doesn’t sound like a big increase but for each item it really puts your final total way over,” she said. “For those of us on a budget, it’s getting harder to get all needed items and be able to afford it.”
In sharing her video, she said she is hoping the people she reaches become more aware of what is happening to grocery prices.
“I wasn’t expecting many people to see it,” she said of the video. “I underestimated the number of people these price increases are affecting. I’m hoping it can spark something in everyone to speak out and become aware.”
