Chapter 27 Question 022

Why are brown-shelled eggs more expensive than white-shelled eggs? (Jonathan Zhang) In the largest supermarket in Ithaca, the same kind of special A-grade eggs, if they have white shells, sell for three. ○Nine dollars a dozen; if it is red shell, sell three.Seventy-nine dollars a dozen.According to the Washington Egg Nutrition Center, neither the taste nor the nutritional value of an egg has anything to do with the color of the shell.So why this price difference? Buyers like brown eggs more, so they are willing to pay more, which is a simple explanation.But this statement is unsatisfactory, because it seems to imply that white shell egg sellers have money not to earn.Why would they continue to sell white eggs if selling red eggs is more profitable?

The production cost of brown-shelled eggs is higher than that of white-shelled eggs, and this reason is justified.The color of the eggs depends on the breed of the laying hen.For example, white-feathered hens lay white eggs, and Rhode Island red hens lay brown eggs.Red hens are generally larger than white hens, and since a hen's daily calorie requirement depends on her size, it is more expensive to keep red hens, and thus the cost of red eggs.But to explain why brown eggs are more expensive, an important factor on the demand side must also be considered.It is precisely because some consumers prefer red-shelled eggs and are willing to pay more for it that there are red-shelled eggs on the market.Otherwise, no one would sell the more expensive eggs.