In the United States, egg prices have far surpassed the increase in other grocery items, soaring nearly 60% in the 12 months to December compared to the year before.
The trend has prompted animal welfare advocates to warn against making impulse buys.
“Egg producers had the option to move to colony cages, barns and free-range systems,” added Hyde, the ministry’s acting national manager of animal welfare and national animal identification and tracing compliance.
“It’s a significant change for the egg supply industry,” Emma Wooster, the company’s head of public relations, told CNN in a statement.
New Zealand is currently undergoing a major egg shortage, squeezing businesses and sparking a rush in demand for pet chickens.