Expenditure

Eggs: why consumption, prices and even imports are growing

According to Ismea, they were the best-performing product in 2025, with the highest increase in both value (+15%) and volume (+7.4%) despite the sprint in prices, also caused by the avian influenza on the farms. And the race continues

by Silvia Marzialetti

3 June 2026

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Some say 'boom', some hyperbolically speak of a 'resurgence of the industry', others of a 'structural change in consumption'.

The fact is that the egg segment continues to run - in Italia and worldwide - conquering market shares and gaining consumers' loyalty, despite the average price of the consumer product maintaining a strong growth trend, in a context in which supply has always been lower than demand and in a European context slowed down by the bird flu. And egg products (frozen, pasteurised and powdered egg whites and yolks, ready to use), to which 40% of production is destined, are giving the segment a great performance.

Records certified by Ismea

Since 2022," reads the latest Ismea report, "average prices have not stopped growing: +13% in 2025 over 2024, when they had already increased by 10% compared to 2023. In addition to the avian influenza that is wreaking havoc on livestock farms, the final shelf price is weighed down by increases in production factors (energy, feed and transport) and the imperative targets of sustainability and animal welfare.

In times of inflation, bringing a noble protein to the table at a low average price is a more than valid argument to explain the product's appeal. But there is more. "The perception has changed compared to the past,' explains Ruggero Moretti, chairman of the Eggs Committee of Unaitalia (the association grouping white meat producers, ed.). The egg is not only considered nutritious and economical, but also healthy and, moreover, it is one of the most sustainable animal proteins, from the point of view of the fodder used, water consumption and area occupied'.

The Eurovo case

This is confirmed by Federico Lionello, sales and marketing director of Eurovo (1.2 billion in turnover, 15 million eggs produced per day, exported to 40 countries), recalling that with the latest Larns, i.e. the reference intake levels of nutrients and energy published in 2024 by the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, 'the last taboo, the alleged link between eggs and cholesterol, has also fallen'.

the latest Circana figures (January-April 2026) show an 8.7% increase in consumption in the large-scale retail trade," he adds, "despite an average price increase of 8.4% compared to the same period last year, but this is three cents more per egg for the consumer.

Last year - Ismea certifies - eggs were the best performing product of the year, registering the highest percentage increase, both in value (+15%) and volume. The quantities purchased in modern distribution grew by 7.4% compared to 2024, driven by ground-farming eggs, which now account for over 70% of the total on the shelves.

Most of the production is marketed as fresh products (about 60%), the remainder is processed into egg products for the food industry (egg pasta, confectionery, sauces, catering, canteens). We are the country that allocates the largest share of production to this segment. Obtained using techniques that allow the egg white to be concentrated by eliminating over 70% water, more suitable for transport and with a longer shelf life, these products are exported to 90 countries. The potential has, of course, also been intercepted by large-scale distribution, as witnessed by the growth in the assortment (+40 per cent).

Italy no longer self-sufficient?

Italia is Europe's fourth largest producer of eggs, with more than 12.5 billion pieces, or about 789 thousand tonnes (supported by more than 43 million laying hens) for a business of about two billion.

Generally speaking, for the egg sector, the increase in domestic demand (consumption rose to 230 eggs per capita per year between fresh and processed) and the drop in production due to the bird flu required higher import volumes (+80%), which raised the self-supply ratio from 98% to 92%.

According to Istat data, between January and December 2025, more than 91,000 tonnes of eggs in shell arrived in Italia, mainly from Romania and Poland, which together supply almost 50% of the total, followed by Ukraine (12% share).

"The switch from the traditional system (cages) to the alternative system of floor rearing, which we are implementing in order to improve animal welfare, also increases costs and reduces the number of animals," Moretti explains. "In addition, it is very difficult to obtain permits for new farms, because we need to limit the potential risk of spreading avian influenza, which is now a physiological component of our world. The EU is a large producer of eggs, with more than 360 million laying hens generating about 6.9 million tonnes of eggs per year. In 2025, production will be around 6.63 million tonnes (+2.6% over 2024).

The World egg organisation (Weo) still predicts imbalances in the world, as growth prospects in Europe are very modest and demand continues to push. Last year's US egg crisis, which prompted President Trump to ask for supplies (never granted) also from Italia, then opens up a reflection: do we run the risk of stock shortages? 'At the European level there is tension on the market, because some of the countries most affected by the bird flu have seen production drop drastically,' explains Moretti, who also sits as president of Eepa (European Egg Processors Association), the organisation that protects egg processors in the Twenty-Seven. 'In Italia we are confident that the situation can stabilise: we have reorganised ourselves to better meet the demands,' he concludes.