CLEVELAND — Eggs have been one of the most visible symbols of grocery inflation, with families across Northeast Ohio watching prices rise, fall and rise again over the last several years.
For months, shoppers were told the higher prices were tied to bird flu, supply issues and inflation.
Now, federal investigators say there was another factor behind the scenes.
The Justice Department and 17 state attorneys general, including Ohio, accused three major egg producers of manipulating part of a national pricing system used by grocery stores, restaurants and other buyers to help determine egg prices.
The companies are not admitting wrongdoing, but they have agreed to a settlement that includes $3.3 million and about 53 million donated eggs nationwide.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office told News 5 that Ohio will receive $198,262 from the settlement. That money will go into the Attorney General Antitrust Fund and be used for other antitrust cases.
Ohio is also expected to receive about 3.2 million eggs, the Ohio Attorney General's Office confirmed to News 5. The egg distribution will be coordinated through local food banks.
The settlement centers on allegations involving a national egg pricing benchmark.
That means the price shoppers see on the shelf may be influenced long before a carton reaches the grocery case.
Bird flu and supply issues did play a role in egg price swings in recent years. But antitrust cases like this show that shoppers may not always see every factor influencing the price they pay.
Each week, we’ll visit Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Marc's and Dave's Market to check prices on everyday essentials.
Those include 2% milk, a loaf of wheat bread, chicken price per pound, ground beef tray or patty per pound (80% lean, 20% fat), one dozen white eggs and toasted oats cereal.
If you're willing to shop around, you can snag even deeper discounts on meat, dairy, and pantry goods.
We’re also giving you a chance to see how your favorite stores stack up week to week. We’ll compare how grocery prices change at each store.
Find a better deal? We want to hear from you! Submit your finds through the form below. If you beat our prices, we’ll feature them.
And if you’re a savvy shopper, always chasing the best deals, we may even join you on your next grocery run.
