Publix reporting egg shortages in Florida due to bird flu
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A near-empty egg aisle at the Publix at North Shore in Miami Beach. Photo: Sommer Brugal/Axios
Shopping for eggs feels like a game of chance lately. One day, your go-to eggs are there. The next, the shelves might be sparse.
The big picture: Grocery stores nationwide are experiencing egg shortages due to the Bird Flu, which has led to significant product losses in key egg-producing regions.
- In 2024, a combination of the bird flu and facility fires led to the loss of about 40 million egg-laying hens across the country – with 43% of the total losses in November and December, per the USDA.
Zoom in: We visited three South Florida Publix stores this week and noticed varying degrees of egg availability.
- At the Publix at North Shore just south of 69th Street and Collins, the shelves were bare except for some higher-end cage-free options. Signs warned of "limited availability due to supplier production issues."
- At the Davie Publix on University Drive, there weren't any organic or cage-free options.
- The Hollywood store on Sheridan Avenue was fully out of eggs Tuesday morning, but it restocked Wednesday. (It was still short of some Publix-brand cage-free eggs but had everything else.)
At Trader Joe's in Davie, a sign asked customers to only purchase two cartons of pasture-raised eggs each.
- The shelves were stocked as of Wednesday morning. Back in November, the store warned about an "extreme nationwide egg shortage."
What they're saying: A Publix spokesperson tells Axios that the chain hasn't had to pull any eggs off the shelves but is "experiencing shortages" due to higher egg demand amid the bird flu.
- "As a result, items in this section have limited availability. We are working to bring these products back as soon as possible."
- The spokesperson said stores are receiving routine deliveries so customers should "check back regularly."
Pro tip: An employee at the Davie Publix told us the best times to get eggs there are in the mornings on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
What's next: Bird flu cases are more often detected in the fall and spring, so consumers should expect supply and price volatility to continue, per the Los Angeles Times.
Are you noticing egg shortages at your local grocery store? Hit reply or email us at [email protected]. We may feature your experience in a future story.