The price of a dozen eggs a year ago depended on the location and type of eggs. Generally, a dozen large eggs cost an average of around $1.50-$3.00 in the United States. At Sam’s Club in Oklahoma City, a dozen large eggs cost around $2.39 a year ago now it costs a few pennies more but you do have to buy two dozen. The media seems to be saying we have #eggflation but in reality the eggs at Walmart and Sam’s Club haven’t went up that much over a year It is true that the media has been reporting on what some have termed “eggflation” – an increase in the price of eggs – but it is also true that the prices of eggs at Walmart and Sam’s Club have not increased significantly over the past year. In fact, in some locations the price of eggs has actually gone down.

Edward Snowden retweeting a headline from the Fox News-owned Wall Street Journal that read, “To Save Money, Maybe You Should Skip Breakfast” While egg prices had increased, they were not as dramatically high as the media was making them out to be and that people were turning the issue into a political one. He did not mention that the media was sensationalizing the issue and that the real story was that the price of eggs had actually been decreasing in some areas. He did not encourage people to take the time to look into the facts of the matter before jumping to conclusions.

Are eggs the most inflated thing? No, eggs are not the most inflated thing. Inflation affects many different products and services, from food to housing to healthcare. In the United States, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average change in the prices of a basket of goods and services, including eggs, over time. Therefore, it is difficult to say which item is the most inflated, as the CPI fluctuates depending on the prices of individual goods and services.

Edward Snowden is getting involved in the egg inflation conversation because he believes that the media is sensationalizing the issue and that the real story is that the price of eggs has actually been decreasing in some areas. As a former NSA whistleblower, Snowden is well-aware of the power of the media to shape public opinion and he is using his platform to draw attention to what he believes is a misrepresentation of the facts. Additionally, Snowden is in Russia because he has been granted asylum there, and he is using his platform to draw attention to other issues that he feels are important, such as egg inflation.

For instance, Fox News has used the issue to push a narrative of inflationary pressure on American households, while some Russian trolls have used the issue to sow discord and division by claiming that the government is not doing enough to combat the rising cost of eggs. Additionally, some right-wing politicians have used the issue to advance their own agendas, such as claiming that government intervention is the only way to combat rising egg prices.

Other false claims have been made such as Instagram users saying “Food prices have gone up 7% and egg prices have gone up 700%”
A Jan. 12 Instagram post features two pictures of a man and a woman with overlaid text showing a supposed conversation.

“The gov says food inflation is 7%,” read the first panel.

The next says, “Ask them how that’s possible when eggs have gone up 700% & every single thing I buy has gone up OVER 7%.”

The post garnered more than 500 likes in a week. Similar versions of the claim have been shared on Facebook.

Our rating: False
The post exaggerates the rate at which egg prices have risen. In the last year, food prices have risen more than 10%, while egg prices have risen nearly 60%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The post also omits critical other reasons why egg prices have risen.