In the US, a sudden shortage has raised egg prices: store shelves are almost empty

Restaurants across the United States have fallen victim to a nationwide egg shortage that has already gripped grocery stores from New York to San Francisco, with prices jumping as high as $7 a carton. Egg prices are hitting record highs as bird flu spreads across the country, killing millions of chickens, Bloomberg reports. A dozen large eggs in the Midwest now cost an average of $7.08, about seven times more than two years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 104 million laying hens have died since the 2022 bird flu outbreak began, with 29 million of those deaths occurring since October, according to the United Egg Producers group. This has led to shortages in stores. In New York, prices for a dozen eggs at Whole Foods Inc. were as high as $11.99. In some parts of the city, a national retailer imposed a three-carton purchase limit. Organic eggs were also in short supply. According to Kerin Rispoli, an egg expert for the Americas at price reporting ...