6 Grocery Stores That Are Limiting Egg Purchases

Egg prices are currently higher than ever, with little relief in sight. A bird flu epidemic, ongoing since 2022, is putting incredible pressure on hen populations throughout the egg industry. When avian influenza is confirmed in one chicken, the whole flock must be slaughtered to contain its spread, constraining the egg supply. This process is essential for food safety, yet calamitous for consumers' wallets.

The egg shortage has grown so severe that some grocery stores nationwide are limiting how many eggs consumers can buy per visit. Buying in bulk is just one of the ways to save money on eggs at the store, but some grocers are imposing egg restrictions to preserve the limited supply for as many people as possible.

Many grocery stores that limit egg purchases are only doing so on a local or regional basis. However, two popular chains are enforcing egg limits at all of their stores in the United States, which is a future that will hopefully not be shared by other grocers.

Customers who shop at Trader Joe's may have recently seen signage limiting the number of eggs they can purchase per day. Unfortunately, that's the case at every Trader Joe's in the United States. The company has imposed a hard limit of one dozen eggs per customer daily at all of its approximately 600 U.S. locations.

In a statement to CNN, a company spokesperson said this is because of "ongoing issues with the supply of eggs," and noted that the intent behind the policy is to "ensure that as many of our customers who need eggs are able to purchase them when they visit Trader Joe's."

The grocery giant Costco is an enduringly popular choice for customers who want to save money by buying in bulk. But when it comes to eggs, shoppers are in shambles as bird flu spreads. Costco is now limiting — somewhat — how much bulk customers can buy at once.

All Costco locations in the United States now restrict customers to a purchase limit of three cartons each. However, because Costco sells items in bulk, each carton typically contains 24 to 60 eggs.

This means that Costco's egg restrictions would still allow you to buy up to 15 dozen eggs per day, which is certainly enough for any at-home egg consumption and likely plenty to patch over a restaurant's short-term egg supply gap.

Another popular chain imposing nationwide egg limits, Sprouts Farmers Market, is now limiting customers to four dozen eggs per day at all of its more than 400 stores in 23 states. A Phoenix-based chain, Sprouts Farmers Market is a health-focused grocery store with shelves full of organic produce and other minimally processed, all-natural foods — which include organic, cage-free, or even pasture-raised eggs.

Unfortunately, high-quality eggs like you would find at Sprouts will cost even more money, on top of eggs' historically high baseline prices. Organic, cage-free, and pasture-raised eggs all cost more money to farm and, if applicable, certify than non-organic, regular white eggs.

Regulations on some of these terms are loose, but such farming methods can require more space per chicken, which reduces farm efficiency and drives up costs, especially when compared to cheaper but lower-standard factory farm eggs. Eggs like those sold at Sprouts are better all-around, but shortages mean this high-end option is now even less affordable.

Ohio-based Kroger operates over 2,700 grocery stores nationwide under a variety of names. But several of its brands, including Kroger, are joining the trend of limiting customers' daily egg purchases. A corporate spokesperson confirmed to CNN that some Kroger locations are choosing to limit egg purchases based on availability.

There is currently no national limit on egg purchases for either the entire group of Kroger brands or any individual banner, which includes Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Mariano's, City Market, and more. At Kroger stores where there is an egg limit in place, each customer is restricted to just two dozen eggs per purchase.

Organic retail giant Whole Foods is yet another major chain climbing down on bulk egg purchases, but thankfully, this is not the case at every Whole Foods location. However, some customers have reported seeing egg restrictions at their local stores.

In at least one New York City location, Whole Foods now displays a sign alerting customers, "We are currently experiencing difficulty sourcing eggs that meet our strict animal welfare standards. For now, we're limiting purchases to 3 cartons per customer."

As with Sprouts Farmers Market, the higher standards for eggs at Whole Foods not only restrict the potential supply but also further increase the price. But it may be worth it for egg connoisseurs, who can find some of the best egg brands with national footprints at any Whole Foods in the country.

It's not just high-end or big-box grocery stores that are feeling the egg supply pinch. In the Chicago area, customers of at least one Aldi report that recent market restrictions limited them to purchasing no more than two dozen eggs each.

It is unclear how widely Aldi's practice of limiting egg purchases has spread. The international company has yet to comment on whether or not it is a nationwide policy or trend for its approximately 2,400 U.S. locations. However, if egg limits are up to each store's discernment, it could vary by location.

The good news for your wallet is that Aldi's focus on low-cost groceries will help save some of the pinch when buying otherwise uncomfortably expensive eggs, even if you can't get more than 24 at a time.