An Ongoing Bird Flu Outbreak Is Hitting Costco Shoppers Where It Hurts

A recent surge in bird flu infections is wiping out flocks of egg-laying hens across the nation. The outbreak has shattered egg production numbers, driving egg prices up 150% from last year.

The current bird flu flare-up is a resurgence of the 2022 outbreak, which has sustained itself over the last two years in a series of ebbs and flows. Since the start of this year, 35 million laying hens have died from bird flu — half of which were infected in the past three months. In October, the United States Department of Agriculture reported that egg production was down 4% from 2023, and it continues to lower its future projections of our egg supply. The drop in egg supply is causing egg prices to soar past previous records in many states. In the Midwest, the price for a dozen eggs reached $5.57, and in California, the price towers at $8.85.

Hiked egg prices stings consumers amid the holiday season — and they've begun to feel it. On the Reddit forum r/Costco, one user shared a picture of an empty space where pallets of egg cartons are usually held. "This store usually has 10-12 pallets stocked everyday and have been sparsely receiving pallets lately," they wrote. Other users chimed in and commented that the recent upsurge in bird flu cases has cleared out egg supplies.

Bird flu affecting produce is alarming, but it's nothing new. Last month, California issued a milk recall due to risks of bird flu infection. The 2022 bird flu outbreak has perpetuated price increases over the course of the past two years. And in response, federal and state governments have allocated funding to vaccine research to curb the virus infecting U.S. poultry populations.

Wild birds infected with the virus are spreading it to commercial poultry farms. Some farmers have been slaughtering entire flocks to minimize the spread, but these measures have been to no avail thus far. The bird flu has also affected cattle this year, as farms use delivery trucks for transporting both poultry and dairy products. Luckily, humans are relatively safe from the bird flu. Only 61 human cases have been reported this year, most of which are individuals who had direct exposure to the virus on poultry farms. Luckily, almost all of the human cases of bird flu infection have been mild and no casualties have been reported.

The flare-up in bird flu cases in recent months has led to increased egg prices for the holidays. The holiday season — defined by both shopping, cooking, and baking — is a vulnerable time of year for consumers, and hiked prices only dings their wallets even deeper.