Buying Eggs From Walmart: 7 Things You Need To Know
With staples like eggs, many shoppers default to grabbing a dozen of the large white ones and calling it a day. But next time you‘re stocking up on eggs at Walmart, it pays to slow down and understand exactly what your options are.
As a long-time e-commerce seller and expert in consumer shopping behavior, I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide to answer the most common questions about buying eggs from Walmart. After reading, you‘ll know how to select the right eggs for your needs – saving money and avoiding getting egg on your face.
1. Walmart Sells a Dizzying Array of Eggs
Walk down the egg aisle at any Walmart and you’ll be overwhelmed by the options. Here’s a cheat sheet to the main types of eggs sold:
Great Value – Walmart’s signature private label. Offered in white, brown, organic and liquid varieties.
Marketside – Walmart’s organic and specialty eggs. Come in organic, cage-free and brown versions.
Eggland’s Best – Branded eggs touted as fresher with more omega-3s. You pay a premium for the claims.
Happy Egg – Branded free-range and organic eggs, ethically sourced.
Nellie’s – Free-range and organic brand.
You’ll also see every size imaginable from medium to jumbo. The large is most common. Packs go from 6 eggs up to 18.
Tip: Keep an eye out for seasonal flavors around holidays, like red, white and blue eggs for July 4th.
2. Walmart Egg Prices Can‘t Be Beat
It‘s no secret that Walmart leverages its massive size to offer unbeatable prices, and eggs are no exception. Here are typical prices on common sizes:
- Great Value large white eggs – $1.60 per dozen
- Marketside organic cage-free eggs – $3.68 per dozen
- Cage-free brown eggs – $2.48 per dozen
- Happy Egg brown organic free-range – $7.30 for 18 eggs
For the cheapest generic white eggs, Walmart is tough to beat. But they can surprise you with deals on specialty eggs too, keeping prices low versus other grocers.
Tip: Check for rebates through Ibotta or Savings Catcher to save even more on your egg purchases.
3. The Hidden Cost of Ultra-Cheap Eggs
It‘s natural to wonder – how can Walmart sell eggs so cheap, especially when organic and free-range options carry large markups elsewhere?
As an industry expert, I can shed some light on how they do it:
Factory farm suppliers – Walmart sources mainly from gigantic factory egg farms that cram hens into cages to cut costs. This leads to animal welfare concerns.
Limited regulations – Shockingly, some states have no space requirements per hen on factory farms. Farmers maximize cages to lower costs.
Cost-cutting production – Shorter hen lifespans, overcrowding, limited veterinary care, lack of enrichment all depress expenses.
Low labor costs – Factory farm workers often paid rock-bottom wages with high turnover.
Minimal marketing – Walmart‘s plain white egg cartons need little marketing compared to major brands.
The bottom line? Rock-bottom egg prices allow neglect of hen health and quality. Shoppers ultimately pay the hidden cost of poor animal welfare.
4. "Organic" Labels Don‘t Guarantee Much
As an industry insider, I‘m skeptical of most "organic" and "free-range" labeled eggs sold at big chains. Why? Stores have been repeatedly sued for misleading packaging about their private label "organic" eggs.
For example:
In 2018, a lawsuit alleged hens for Walmart’s Marketside Organic eggs had no real outdoor access – just screened porches.
The packaging touted "outdoor access" but this was alleged to be misleading consumers.
Walmart settled out of court but maintained they complied with organic standards. Until Walmart meets its 2025 cage-free pledge, it’s wise to take their labeling with a grain of salt.
Tip: For genuinely humanely raised eggs, I recommend looking for respected third-party certification logos on packaging, like Certified Humane.
5. Cage-Free and Free-Range – Ask Questions
You’ve probably heard the horror stories of hens confined to tiny cages on factory egg farms. Many retailers like Walmart have pledged to go 100% cage-free. But is this legit?
Here are the questions I would ask:
What tangible progress has Walmart made toward cage-free eggs since announcing this in 2016?
How much space do hens really get in Walmart‘s "cage-free" eggs? Many are still overcrowded.
What do the company’s auditing process look like? Is true free-range access independently verified?
Don‘t just take “cage-free” at face value. Probe into specifics before deciding if the designation fits your ethical standards.
6. Walmart’s Suppliers – A Mixed Bunch
if you pick up a carton of Marketside Organic eggs, they likely came from:
- Cal-Maine Foods – The largest egg producer in America.
Other major suppliers are:
Rose Acre Farms – 2nd biggest producer. Supplies Great Value.
Sparboe Farms – Major supplier for Walmart eggs.
Rembrandt Enterprises – Supplies Eggland’s Best.
The biggest suppliers tend to run factory farm operations. Smaller specialty brands may source from more ethical family farms. This is important to know in judging how "free-range" any given product really is.
7. Judging Egg Quality and Freshness
Considering the low cost, how do Walmart eggs stack up in terms of taste, quality and freshness? Here’s what customers say:
Great Value – Meets expectations at the price point, but complaints of inconsistent freshness.
Marketside Organic – Decent marks for freshness over Great Value. You pay more.
Eggland’s Best – Many customer reviews citing superior taste and freshness over cheaper eggs.
Happy Egg – Reviews praise noticeably better flavor and nutrition. But you‘ll pay a premium.
Tip: Inspect cartons carefully and give eggs a sniff test. Pass on any with broken or cracked eggs or an off odor.
The Final Takeaway
The world of Walmart eggs offers options for every budget and priority – if you shop informed. Seek out trusted certifications, read supplier information, weigh prices versus promises. With the right intel, you can crack the egg buying code at Walmart and roll out of there with the perfect pick.
