New York — Costco and Trader Joe’s are limiting the number of eggs customers can buy because of a shortage caused by the avian flu.
“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,” a grocery chain spokesperson told CNN.
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The chain, which has about 600 US locations, hopes that “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.”
Other grocery stores are following suit. Kroger confirmed to CNN that while no national limit is in place for its stores, some of its locations “are choosing to do so based on availability” — allowing purchases of only two dozen eggs per customer, per trip, a spokesperson said.
Videos on social media platforms like TikTok and X show people stocking up on huge amounts of eggs and showing signs at stores about limits.
Costco also confirmed that it was limiting customers to three packages of eggs, typically sold in two-dozen or four-dozen cartons.
Egg prices have soared recently because of the avian influenza, which is responsible for the deaths of more than 40 million egg-laying birds last year. Due to the short supply, egg prices rose 14% from November to December alone — and they are projected to rise another 20% this year, according to the US Department of Agriculture.The soaring costs prompted Waffle House last week to add a 50-cent charge for every egg it sells at its 2,100 restaurants. The chain said in a statement that it’s “continuously monitoring egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge as market conditions allow.”
The average price of a dozen large grade-A eggs, which Waffle House uses, was $4.15 in December — up from $3.65 in November — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, shoppers are posting prices on social media as much as $10 per carton in some states.
CNN’s Nathaniel Meyersohn contributed to this report.
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