Facing a nationwide egg shortage fueled by avian influenza outbreaks, major retailers like Trader Joe's, Costco, and Walmart are implementing purchase limits to ensure equitable access for all shoppers. The shortage, driven by the culling of millions of chickens due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza, has led to soaring egg prices and widespread supply disruptions.
Trader Joe's and other retailers are implementing purchase limits on eggs due to ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu. Trader Joe's announced on Monday that it is limiting egg purchases to one dozen per customer per day across all its U.S. stores. The company cited 'ongoing issues with the supply of eggs' as the reason for this daily restriction.
Social media has been abuzz with photos of in-store notices regarding egg purchase limits at various retailers nationwide, including Costco, Whole Foods, Kroger, and Aldi. While the exact implementation dates for these limits remain unclear, not all retailers are adopting them nationally. For instance, Kroger confirmed that it does not have enterprise-wide limits in place but noted that some regional divisions and store banners have imposed a two-dozen per trip limit on egg purchases.Walmart, too, stated that it hasn't implemented national limits except for bulk purchases of 60-count cartons, which are capped at two per purchase. The retail giant emphasized its efforts to work with suppliers and meet customer demand while striving to keep prices as low as possible. Costco confirmed to CNN that it is limiting customers to three packages of eggs, typically sold in two-dozen or four-dozen cartons. Target, while experiencing supplier shortages, hasn't explicitly announced any purchase limits, according to reports. A recent report published by the Agriculture Department revealed that shell egg availability remains limited and inconsistent in many retail markets, prompting grocers to adopt strategies such as curbing promotional activities, implementing purchase limits, and maintaining record-high prices to control demand. Bird flu has forced farmers to cull millions of chickens each month, resulting in U.S. egg prices more than doubling since the summer of 2023. The average price per dozen eggs nationwide reached $4.15 in December, and the Agriculture Department predicts another 20% surge this year. A Numerator survey conducted in late January found that 71% of U.S. egg shoppers considered eggs 'somewhat or very' expensive. Moreover, over half have recently encountered egg shortages or complete out-of-stock situations at their grocery stores. Scientists confirmed the presence of a version of the H5N1 bird flu virus, known as B3.13, in March after its introduction to cattle in late 2023. This strain has infected over 950 herds across 16 states. Last week, a new version, called D1.1, was detected in Nevada cattle, according to the USDA
Business EGGS AVIEN INFLUENZA RETAILERS PURCHASE LIMITS SHORTAGE SUPPLY CHAIN FOOD PRICES COSTCO TRADER JOE's WALMART AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
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