LOGAN — After months of price increases in early 2025, the wholesale price of eggs declined a little in March.
But not enough to suit many consumers, because 47 percent of Americans surveyed by WalletHub say they will skip dyeing Easter eggs during the upcoming holiday due to the continuing high price of eggs.
Given prices for candy revealed by the personal finance website’s annual Easter Facts & Stats polling, those consumers might be better off skipping the spring holiday entirely.
Analysts for WalletHub say that nearly 47 percent of respondents to their annual Easter Survey have reported that they will skip dyeing eggs during the upcoming Easter holiday due to the high cost of eggs (Image courtesy of WalletHub).
“Inflation affects our ability to splurge during any holiday or special occasion,” according to Alexander DePaoli, an associate professor at Northeastern University in Boston, “although it is notable for Easter that the cost of both eggs and chocolate are historically high right now…
“If money is particularly tight right now, perhaps families should consider other things to decorate with or other types of candy.”
Total holiday spending this Easter season is expected to top $24 billion, according to WalletHub analysts. That translates to about $190 each for the 79 percent of Americans – about 260 million — expected to celebrate the holiday this year.
Projected spending for Easter candy alone is estimated at $3.3 billion, with other spending devoted to gifts, decorations, travel arrangements and the cost of traditional family get-togethers.
In addition to the 47 percent of Americans skipping the Easter tradition of dyeing egg, nearly half of Americans expect inflation to affect their Easter spending this year and 41 percent of those polled by WalletHub confessed to not feeling confident about their finances heading into spring.
“Inflation will play a large role in this year’s celebration because everything associated with the holiday continues to be impacted by it,” explains Rob Warren, a senior instructor at the University of North Dakota.
“Egg prices are simply the tip of the iceberg as everything associated with the holiday is more expensive this year, from the ingredients in a family dinner to the cost of holiday travel.”
After nearly six months of increases, the price of eggs declined in March, according to researchers at Earnest Analytics. But that doesn’t make them cheap by a long shot.
Although egg prices have been fluctuating recently, their decrease in March was followed by a slight increase in the first 13 days of April.
While wholesale prices have dropped, indicating better supply, retail prices may not have fully reflected those changes, as some retailers may still be clearing out inventory with higher wholesale prices.
Moreover, some retailers may actually be raising their prices for eggs as part of their so-called “Easter tax.”
“Avoid the ‘Easter tax’,” warns DePaoli. “Like so many products that we buy for special occasions, products that are labeled as being especially for Easter – for example, Easter baskets or Easter candy or food items which are traditionally purchased during Easter, like ham or lamb – tend to have their prices marked up to capture the increased demand during the holiday.
“If you’re on a tight budget, you should consider looking for alternatives.”
View the full WalletHub report online here.