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Planet Money

How much for that egg

Apr 18, 2025
Join a quirky exploration of an egg shortage as colleagues navigate innovative ways to distribute farm-fresh eggs without price gouging. From humorous backyard chicken antics to a playful survey assessing breakfast preferences, the podcast dives into the love for eggs and their true market value. Discover the fascinating Becker-DeGroote Marshak method, where participants hilariously evaluate their willingness to pay for eggs, blending economics with lighthearted fun and surprising insights into consumer behavior.
31:22

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The podcast discusses a colleague's innovative approach to selling scarce farm-fresh eggs for $5 amidst soaring prices by utilizing unique survey methods to gauge demand.
  • It introduces the Becker-DeGroote Marshak method as an engaging way to assess true willingness to pay among colleagues for the limited eggs.

Deep dives

The Egg Economy

A significant aspect of the podcast revolves around a colleague's experience of selling a dozen farm-fresh eggs for $5 amidst a national egg shortage, where prices have soared to $12. This situation exemplifies the economic principles of supply and demand, as the demand for eggs greatly exceeds the available supply. Sam, who owns chickens and produces more eggs than his family can consume, opts to sell at a fixed low price rather than profit from the scarcity. This self-imposed price cap initiates a discussion about finding a fair system to distribute his eggs among interested colleagues.

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