Egg prices reach record high in Netherlands; Climbed nearly 40% in 5 years

After a brief price drop in 2024, egg prices in the Netherlands have risen to a new record high, the Consumentenbond reported after investigating egg prices at the 13 largest supermarket chains. On average, eggs are now 38 percent more expensive than they were five years ago.

In February 2026, barn eggs cost an average of €0.35 each, 40 percent more expensive than five years ago. The prices for free-range eggs increased by 48 percent to €0.37 each, and organic egg prices increased 26 percent to €0.43 each.

The consumers’ association conducted this study just before the Iran war started. Egg prices have been rising for some time, mostly due to a more limited supply as a result of bird flu.

To limit the spread of bird flu, poultry farmers throughout the Netherlands are currently obliged to confine their chickens. As a result, free-range chickens often don’t get to go outside for months, making them essentially barn chickens, the Consumentenbond points out. That is not reflected in the egg prices.

Consumentenbond also called it striking that small cartons containing six eggs are often the cheapest when calculated per unit. “Even cheaper than a large carton of 20 or 30 eggs.”

The cheapest barn and free-range eggs can be bought at Aldi, Dirk, Lidl, Nettorama, and Vomar. The cheapest eggs cost around €0.24 each at these supermarkets. At Albert Heijn and Plus, a carton of 12 barn eggs was considerably more expensive, averaging at €0.32 per egg. “The price difference between organic eggs runs up to over €0.30 per egg,” the consumers’ association said.