Soaring Egg Prices Have US Consumers Squawking

In Washington and its suburbs, supermarkets' egg shelves are now often empty, or sparsely stocked, with most of the eggs on offer marked up from their usual prices (Credit: AFP)

A resurgence of avian flu, which first struck the United States in 2022, is hitting chicken farms hard, sending egg prices soaring and rattling consumers accustomed to buying this dietary staple for only a few dollars.

In Washington and its suburbs, supermarket egg shelves are now often empty, or sparsely stocked. Some stores limit the number of cartons each client may buy. And everywhere, consumers are shocked by the high prices.