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- Get on the price: retail warned about the inadmissibility of rising prices of eggs on the eve of Easter
Get on the price: retail warned about the inadmissibility of rising prices of eggs on the eve of Easter
The Federal Antimonopoly Service has sent warnings to large retail chains about the inadmissibility of rising egg prices on the eve of Easter, Izvestia has learned. According to Rosstat, since the beginning of the year, this product has increased in price by 16.5% on average in Russia, and by 46% and 32% respectively in the Crimea and the Ulyanovsk region. The Ministry of Agriculture called what was happening a "seasonal correction": production volumes make it possible to meet domestic demand and keep prices affordable, officials say. What are the reasons for the rise in price and how business explains it — in the Izvestia article.
Rising egg prices
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has warned major retailers about the inadmissibility of unjustified price increases for eggs and products that are in high demand on the eve of Easter. This includes confectionery, butter and other goods.
— If signs of unfair actions are detected, the agency will take response measures. In the event of a reduction in selling prices by suppliers, the FAS recommended that retail chains broadcast this reduction to end consumers, the agency's press service told Izvestia.
The FAS also recalled that they are constantly monitoring the cost of products.
Egg prices in Russia have been rising since the beginning of the year. According to Rosstat, from the end of December 2025 to March 16, 2026, the average increase was 16.5%. In some regions, it turned out to be significantly higher: in the Ulyanovsk region — 32%, in the Crimea — 46%.
The Ministry of Agriculture recognizes the increase in the cost of eggs, but calls it a seasonal adjustment.
— Russian poultry farms are actively increasing production amid increasing demand. In 2025, 4.3% more eggs were produced in all categories of farms, the volume amounted to 48.6 billion eggs, the ministry said.
They also said that in January–February 2026, positive dynamics remained: according to Rosstat, agricultural enterprises produced about 6.5 billion units, which is 2.7% more than in the same period of 2025.
"Despite the seasonal correction in wholesale prices, the market for chicken eggs remains stable," the Agriculture Ministry said.
The ministry added that high production volumes make it possible to fully meet domestic demand and keep retail prices at an affordable level for consumers.
When can Russians expect lower egg prices?
According to Galina Bobyleva, General Director of the Russian Poultry Union, eggs remain one of the cheapest products in Russia.
— Naturally, during the preparation for Easter, the demand for them is increasing, but, according to our estimates, the surge in value has already passed: consumers made purchases for the holiday, and now the cost has stabilized, — said the representative of the business.
Over a long period of 2025, the prices of chicken eggs decreased and remained at a low level, the chairman of the Association of Retail Trade Companies (ACORT) added Stanislav Bogdanov.
"In February, a number of suppliers notified the network about the correction of the selling price in order to compensate for inflationary costs and rising production costs," he explained to Izvestia.
According to him, over the past three months, the minimum price of C1/C2 category eggs in retail chains has increased by an average of 4%.
— In annual terms, the cost is still below the level of last year. According to ACORT monitoring data, in mid-March 2026, the minimum price of a dozen C1/C2 category was 9.4% lower than in the same period of 2025," the business representative said. — In order to additionally support the consumer, in mid-March, large chains sold C1/C2 category eggs with a negative margin — about 5% lower than the purchase price.
He stressed that on the eve of Easter, retail chains prepare in advance for increased demand and form sufficient stocks of demanded goods. Retailers take into account seasonal dynamics when planning purchases, so a sharp rise in the price of eggs and related Easter goods should not be expected, Stanislav Bogdanov added.
In order to exclude factors of growth in seasonal demand, it is more correct to compare prices before Easter 2025 with the same period in 2026, says Dmitry Vostrikov, executive director of the Rusprodsoyuz association. According to him, the average retail price of a dozen today is about 110.6 rubles, and it has decreased by 1.5% year-on-year. At the same time, he noted that due to the increase in seasonal Easter demand, prices in some small retail formats are really rising.
— It is these fluctuations that Rosstat records when comparing monthly indicators. The main reasons for the change are related to the objective discrepancy between the peak egg production of chickens (late spring – early autumn) and maximum consumption (winter – mid-spring). The situation is aggravated by the lack of a cost—effective technology for processing eggs into long-lasting ingredients," Dmitry Vostrikov explained.
He also stressed that the demand for the product increases especially before the New Year, Carnival and Easter. After the holidays, it traditionally falls, and the supply increases by the end of spring, which affects the price and leads to its decrease.
Izvestia sent inquiries to the largest retail chains.
Eggs are not the only agricultural commodity that is systematically affected by price fluctuations, said Georgy Ostapkovich, Research Director at the HSE Center for Market Research.
According to him, this is due to a violation of the balance of supply and demand, which businesses do not always take into account in production. The expert recalled that several years ago Russia had to open egg imports in order to lower prices. There is no shortage of goods in the country now, and the increase in cost is understandable — it reflects an increase in business production costs, the expert added.
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