Have you noticed that brown eggs often cost more than white? Same size, same type (cage-free or not), and even from the same company. Why is that? Should you pay more for brown eggs?
This question came up for me (again) yesterday at the store as I chose which type of eggs to buy. Reflexively, I reached for the large eggs at eye level. They happened to be brown. Then I noticed that same brand of large white eggs on the lower shelf to the right, where I was less likely to notice them. Those white eggs were 50 cents cheaper. Naturally I put back the brown eggs and picked up the white ones. As I went to the check-out counter, I pondered the pricing and placement of the cheaper eggs where I was less likely to pick them up.
I’ve written about egg myths before. One of those myths is that brown eggs are better than white ones. In fact, brown and white eggs are the same nutritionally and in terms of quality and flavor. If you want to get really persnickety, brown eggs can even have more cholesterol than white eggs, but the difference is not significant.
The color of the egg is simply due to which type of hen lays the egg. Most breeds lay brown eggs. However, the predominant breed of hen used to lay eggs for commercial sale (at least in the U.S.) is the white Leghorn breed, which produces white eggs.
In researching the price differential, I found that state agricultural services and the USDA attribute the higher cost of brown eggs to the size of the fact that the chickens that lay them are larger and therefore cost more to house and feed.
Is that the only reason? Some people believe (erroneously) that brown eggs are better than white. If people think brown eggs are better, won’t they pay more for them than white eggs? And doesn’t that consumer willingness to pay more factor into the price?
What do you think?
Marye says
June 25, 2016 at 7:40 pmI got used to using brown eggs when we had chickens. Now the white ones look kinda insipid and brown tends to convey an old fashioned, nostalgic kind of vibe which matched my brand. So. I did know there was no difference but I pay for the visual appeal.
Laura says
June 25, 2016 at 8:02 pmSuch an interesting perspective. I’ve never raised chickens but can well imagine that you like eggs that remind you of “home hatched.” Interestingly a Facebook commenter said the opposite- she buys white because the brown don’t look “normal” to her.
Marye says
June 25, 2016 at 8:06 pmLol! We used to get green, pink, blue, and aqua eggs from a friend that had different kinds of chickens. 😉
Laetitia says
June 25, 2016 at 10:00 pmI had NO idea! So interesting, thanks for investigating 😉
Laura says
June 26, 2016 at 5:55 pmLaetitia, Thanks for stopping by. Glad I gave you a bit of info you didn’t have before.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
June 30, 2016 at 9:25 amInteresting info Laura.
Laura says
July 2, 2016 at 9:35 pmThanks Dorothy
Ronald says
March 24, 2018 at 9:39 amEggs do indeed come in different colors but no difference in the nutitional value. There are even brown speckled eggs. It is shame that people have duped into paying more for brown because somewhere along the way someone had the idea that they were better for you and thought they could use that to profit and it sure worked.
Laura says
March 27, 2018 at 4:08 pmRonald, Yup. You and I are definitely on the same page. And I’m betting that you get the same sense fo outrage when you go to the store and see the brown eggs are more expensive than the white ones.