February 27, 2026

Egg Prices Hit Record Highs
Retail Prices Up 20% Amid Weak Yen and Bird Flu Outbreaks

The surge in egg prices in Japan shows no sign of slowing down. Retail prices are now about 20 percent higher than a year ago, surpassing even the levels seen during the so-called “egg shock” of 2023 and reaching record highs. As production costs, including feed expenses, continue to rise, outbreaks of avian influenza have spread across the country. At a time when inflation is already putting pressure on household budgets, eggs, once considered an affordable everyday staple, are becoming increasingly difficult for consumers to buy on a casual basis.

According to Nikkei POS data, compiled by The Nikkei from supermarkets nationwide, the average retail price in December 2025 for non-branded eggs sold in 10 egg packs, the most common product on store shelves, rose 24 percent year on year to ¥212.

Looking back over the past five years of available data, this price exceeds the previous peak of ¥203 recorded in June 2023. During that period, large-scale outbreaks of avian influenza led to the mass culling of laying hens, sharply reducing supply.

This season, producers have already been struggling with persistently high costs caused by the weak yen, which has driven up imported feed prices, as well as rising electricity costs for climate-controlled poultry farms. On top of these pressures, the industry has once again been hit by avian influenza outbreaks.

On the 10th, a supermarket in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, displayed branded eggs from a major manufacturer priced at ¥330 per pack. In the wholesale market, suppliers are facing difficulties securing sufficient quantities of standard “M-size” eggs typically used for retail packaging. As a result, mixed-size packs containing assorted egg sizes are increasingly appearing on store shelves.