Source : THE AGE NEWS
When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton were asked about the price of eggs in yesterday evening’s final leaders’ debate, one politician’s response was way more off-base than the other.
Albanese’s answer of $7 – “if you can find them” – isn’t too far off the mark at all, particularly as egg prices vary widely, but Dutton’s answer of $4.20 is fanciful.
Australians paid about 12 per cent more for eggs in February than they did February last year, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. The last time egg prices were about $4.20 was between 2018 and 2019, more than five years ago.
Depending on where you live and the quality of eggs you’re buying, egg prices can vary significantly. Australia’s current egg shortage can be attributed to avian influenza, or bird flu, which has resulted in more than 1.8 million egg-laying hens being killed. Some industry estimates put this figure closer to 3 million.
Woolworths and Coles, which account for nearly 70 per cent of national supermarket retail sales and where most Australians are likely to buy eggs, sell a dozen extra-large cage-free eggs for $5.90, which is among some of the lowest prices this masthead could find.
Aldi’s website indicates it’s selling a dozen extra-large cage eggs for $5.49 and free-range eggs for $6.19.
Both Peter Dutton and the PM had egg on their face during the fourth debate.Credit: Marija Ercegovac
If you’re shopping at Woolworths, a dozen home-brand extra-large free-range eggs will cost $6.60, while 12 jumbo cage-free eggs from Pace Farm will set you back $8.80.
Over at Coles, a dozen free-range eggs from Sunny Queen Farms costs $8.50, while the same number of “big brekkie browns” eggs from the same farm costs $10.20.
Those more inclined to organic produce will find a carton of 10 Pirovic free-range jumbo eggs from Harris Farm Markets for $12.99. The same number of organic jumbo eggs from Pirovic costs $16.49.
Coles and Woolworths have imposed purchase limits of two cartons per customer in some states, while Aldi has not posed any restrictions. Ritchies IGA introduced purchase limits in Victoria mid-last year.
Egg farmer and former Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) vice president Danyel Cucinotta previously said there were some misconceptions that egg farmers were price-gouging.
Under the best-case scenario, supply isn’t expected to normalise for at least another six months, but this could stretch as long as “two to three years minimum” for the egg-laying flock to recover.
One interesting issue around egg prices is the sensitivities involved in talking about it.
Multiple industry groups this masthead spoke to, including Egg Farmers of Australia, pointed to restrictions imposed by the ACCC in discussing egg prices.
An ACCC spokesperson said businesses had to set prices independently. “Discussions between competitors in relation to pricing can give rise to concerns under either the cartel or concerted practices provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act [CCA],” the spokesperson said.
“Breaching these provisions of the CCA can attract civil liability [and/or criminal liability in the case of cartel conduct].”
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