Trader Joe's Issues A Purchase Limit On Eggs Nationwide, What To Know

Trader Joe's is known for keeping its prices low, especially in the face of growing grocery inflation. A dozen large, organic grade A eggs at Trader Joe's is usually under $5, making it a must-have for many families on a budget. But in a new move by the company, the amount of egg cartons a customer can purchase at one time is now being limited

Trader Joe's announced that it's capping egg purchases to one dozen per customer per day. The move comes on the heels of ongoing supply chain issues with poultry products, and it was made in the spirit of ensuring every customer had a fair chance to purchase eggs at the store's affordable price points. It's unclear how long this rule will be in place, but it will likely remain until the supply chain issues are resolved.

An ongoing bird flu epidemic has been devastating poultry farms since 2022, causing companies to hike the prices of certain items in response. Eggs have been a sore spot for several consumers, with around $40,000 worth of eggs getting stolen from a Pennsylvania trailer. According to the USDA, this wave of bird flu has been confirmed to have hit over 22 million birds in commercial and backyard flocks alike — and that's just within the past 30 days.

Limiting egg purchases might be an annoying quirk of shopping at Trader Joe's for the time being, but the grocery retailer made a calculated decision in light of recent news regarding bird flu. Government communication blackouts have made it harder for businesses and consumers to receive information on the spread of bird flu in humans and animals alike, including research and press release correspondences. By limiting the purchase amount of each customer, Trader Joe's staff will likely have an easier time keeping track of shelf quality, damages, and inventory management as we await more news on the outbreak.