As cases of avian influenza surge nationwide, egg prices are also on the rise.

The price hike is so significant that shoppers throughout the country are encountering bare shelves in grocery stores, as many hurry to buy as many eggs as they can amid concerns of future shortages.

In response, several stores are now restricting the number of egg cartons that each customer can buy each day.

At Trader Joe’s, customers are limited to one dozen eggs per day.

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“Due to the persistent supply challenges affecting eggs, we have instituted a purchase limit of one dozen per customer daily across all Trader Joe’s locations nationwide,” the grocery brand confirmed in a public statement to USA TODAY.

The company expressed hope that the purchase limits will allow as many customers as possible to secure eggs during their visits to Trader Joe’s.

At Costco, there’s a limit of three packs of eggs per customer. Walmart permits only two 60-count cartons per purchase, while Sam’s Club restricts customers to two egg cartons daily.

In light of egg shortages, Waffle House has introduced a 50-cent surcharge on egg orders.

“Both consumers and restaurants are making tough choices,” Waffle House stated in a statement. “Instead of raising prices across our menu, we are implementing this temporary surcharge specifically related to the unprecedented increase in egg costs.”

Local Bakeries Feeling the Pressure from Rising Egg Prices

Bakery owners throughout Summit County, such as Melissa Salmon from Little Blue Pastries & Café in Akron, are grappling with the escalating cost of eggs in their businesses.

“I’m primarily concerned about securing enough eggs for our café’s needs,” Salmon said. “Like many breakfast establishments, we cannot operate without eggs.”

With many items on her café’s menu relying on eggs, she is committed to ensuring that the egg shortages and rising costs do not hinder her business.

“Currently, we utilize about 30 to 40 dozen eggs each week,” she explained. “We plan to introduce more egg-free alternatives or incorporate substitutes like ground flax seed in our baked goods.”

A planned kids’ cookie decorating event at her café was ultimately canceled to conserve costs on ingredients.

“Beyond the expense of eggs in the cookie recipe, the overall budget for ingredients, sprinkles, packaging, and drinks must be carefully managed due to the unpredictability of prices,” she added.

She hopes to reschedule the decorating party when egg prices stabilize.

What’s Causing the Rush for Eggs?

Since 2022, over 136 million poultry birds have contracted avian flu, as reported by the CDC. This led to the culling of millions of egg-laying hens, with the USDA noting the loss of over 17 million hens in just November and December of last year.

These drastic measures have severely impacted the nation’s egg supply, and a reduction in prices is unlikely until farms and producers can restore their inventory. The USDA forecasts a decline in egg production throughout the upcoming months.

Consumer behavior has also contributed to the egg shortage, mirroring the panic buying seen during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as an associate professor of marketing at Emory University recently commented to USA TODAY.

“Egg prices are increasing because of avian flu, which is pushing shoppers to buy more eggs than usual as they anticipate higher costs and a diminished supply at grocery stores,” Saloni Vastani explained.

Consequently, the egg supply is under immense pressure due to both bird flu and panic buying behavior among consumers, she noted.

“As shelves become emptier, an increase in panic buying occurs, causing more customers to rush in to buy eggs,” Vastani added.

Forecast for Egg Prices in 2025

Egg prices have seen significant fluctuations since 2022, primarily due to a bird flu outbreak that drove the average price to $4.82 per dozen eggs. Prices are expected to continue increasing this year, as per the Department of Agriculture.

According to USDA findings, the average cost of eggs was 36.8% higher in December than in December 2023. In December 2024, the average price for a dozen Grade A eggs was $4.15 compared to $2.51 in December 2023.

Egg Shortage Insights: Explore the surge in egg prices amid shortages and see empty grocery store shelves across the U.S.

Predictions indicate that prices may increase by 20% this year, compared to a mere 2.2% rise in overall food prices.

Contributions to this report were provided by USA TODAY.

Anthony Thompson is a reporter who can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com or on Twitter @athompsonABJ

This article appeared originally in the Akron Beacon Journal: Ohio grocers implement egg purchase limits in response to bird flu