Trader Joe’s is limiting how many cartons of eggs customers will be able to buy.

The move comes as the H5N1 or bird flu outbreak continues to cause a shortage.

The company said in a statement to USA Today, “Due to the 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.”

There are about 600 locations nationwide.

The company said that the limit is in place to “ensure that as many of our customers who need eggs are able to purchase them.”

Trader Joe’s not the only company that is limiting how many eggs shoppers can buy.

Costco is limiting its members to three packages of eggs which are sold in two-dozen or four-dozen cartons, CNN reported.

Some Kroger stores are also allowing shoppers to buy only two dozen eggs per customer per trip. It is not a nationwide policy, CNN reported, but will be a store-by-store decision.

Waffle House instituted a 50-cent per egg surcharge on egg orders.

More than 150 million birds have been killed as farmers try to stop the spread of H5N1, otherwise known as bird flu. The culling of flocks caused prices to increase and supply shortages.

The average cost of a dozen eggs in December 2024 was $4.15, double what eggs cost in August 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in the most recent data available. The highest cost of eggs in the past 20 years happened in January 2023 when a dozen grade A large eggs cost $4.82.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that bird flu is found in wild birds worldwide but has caused outbreaks not only with poultry but also dairy cows. The CDC said there have been several cases where it has spread to dairy and poultry workers, but the health risks to people are low. The agency is monitoring the situation.

In all there have been 68 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S. and one death, the CDC said.

The CDC said there has been no indication that it has spread from person to person.

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