According to data from Information Resources, Inc., “regular” eggs produced in traditional cage housing systems continue to be the most popular type of eggs among Americans, who continue to buy them over cage-free eggs by a margin of 40 to 1.

Eggs produced in traditional cage housing systems (“regular”) made up 92% of the 21 billion total retail eggs sold in 2009. According to supermarket scan data, cage free eggs accounted for 2% of all retail eggs purchased while organic/free range eggs made up 1% of retail sales. Compared to the previous year’s data, organic/free range egg sales fell by 1.67%, free range sales grew by 1.25% and regular egg sales declined by less than 1%.

The average price for one dozen, large, grade A eggs from traditional cage housed hens is about $1.10 according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Cage free eggs are nearly three times as expensive ($2.99 per dozen) as “regular” eggs, while organic/free range eggs are the most expensive at $4.38 per dozen. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Eurostat, American consumers pay about three times less for eggs than European consumers. U.S. egg farms are larger and more efficient than European egg farms, and Europe is adding new requirements for housing systems that could limit supply and create higher prices in the next few years.

Other research finds that while the majority of Americans purchase “regular” eggs, they also support the use of “enriched colony housing” systems, which are being used more frequently by European egg farms. About one-third of Americans say they would choose this type of housing in their state if they had a choice. These systems provide hens more space, and thus the ability to nest, scratch and perch.