Trader Joe’s Limits Egg Sales to One Carton Per Customer as Bird Flu Hits Supply
Customers at Trader Joe’s are now facing strict limits on how many eggs they can buy at all U.S. stores. The grocery chain has put a cap of one dozen eggs per customer each day, pointing to widespread shortages caused by a severe bird flu outbreak. “Due to ongoing issues with the supply of eggs, we are currently limiting egg purchases to one dozen per customer, per day, in all Trader Joe’s stores across the country,” the company told ABC News.
The brutal bird flu outbreak has led to the killing of more than 145 million birds since it started. This huge loss has pushed egg prices above $5 per dozen in stores across the country.
Restaurants are feeling the pinch, with suppliers now charging 134% more than last year. This has forced Waffle House to add another 50 cents for each egg on the menu.
Other big stores have put in place their own limits. Costco won’t let online shoppers buy more than five cartons, for example.
The virus spreads when wild birds mix with farm chickens and leave infected droppings behind. Things have gotten more complicated now that dairy cows are catching it too, opening up new ways for the virus to spread.
Stores are under extra strain because of cage-free rules in ten states. These laws force farmers to make expensive changes to their operations right when they’re trying to deal with this massive outbreak.
“We hope these limits will help to ensure that as many of our customers who need eggs are able to purchase them when they visit Trader Joe’s.”
