An egg shortage due to avian flu is affecting shoppers nationwide as folks across the country gear up for the holiday season.
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Less than a week before Thanksgiving, customers at Trader Joe’s locations nationwide are turning to social media to report the disappearance of eggs from store shelves.
A resident from the Chicago area attempted to purchase eggs at a local Trader Joe’s. However, he shared on Reddit that the store was entirely out of stock. A notice in the store stated: “Where are the eggs? We’re transitioning to cage-free only, which may temporarily affect our supply. Thank you for your patience!”
Dozens of folks responded to the post. Many agreed with the original poster. They noted that they, too, had observed an egg shortage at their local grocery stores.
“My store (in the northeast region, so the CT warehouse) had zero eggs in the store at 8 p.m. last night,” one Reddit user insisted.
In the past year, egg prices have surged by over 30%, according to the Labor Bureau of Statistics. In contrast, overall food prices have increased by just 2.1% during the same time frame.
Avian Flu is Being Blamed For the Rising Prices of Eggs
Prior to February 2022, the average price for a dozen eggs consistently remained at or below $2. However, the avian flu outbreak that started in January 2022 caused egg prices to skyrocket. At the outbreak’s onset, the average cost for a dozen eggs soared to an unprecedented $4.82.
The price increase is attributed to a rise in avian flu cases found in both wild aquatic birds and commercial poultry. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 108.4 million birds across the nation have been impacted by avian flu since January 2022.
In Utah, Washington State, and Oregon, over 2.8 million birds were culled last month due to avian flu outbreaks. A report from the US Department of Agriculture revealed a 2.6% decline in nationwide egg production compared to the same period last year.
According to the USDA, egg production is projected to decrease by 1% this year compared to 2023.