By Tristan Teng<\/p>\n
Right now, egg sections in grocery stores all over San Diego are characterized by two things: higher prices and empty shelves.<\/span><\/p>\n On Tuesday, NBC7 visited five grocery stores in Mission Valley: Vons, Trader Joe\u2019s, Walmart, Food 4 Less, and Ralph\u2019s. At the first three locations, multiple shelves were empty as several egg options were sold out. Food 4 Less and Ralph\u2019s had more supply but were still affected. At the latter store, two signs were displayed in the egg section.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The first one read: \u201c<\/span>Due to the avian bird flu and to support all customers, we are limiting egg cartons to two each per customer. Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for the inconvenience.\u201d The second one read: \u201cAt this time, there\u2019s a nationwide shortage of eggs. With high seasonal demand, you may notice fewer supplies or higher prices. We apologize for the inconvenience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A major reason for the shortages and high prices is that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, has killed millions of hens in the country. In May, a USDA memo explained that HPAI has now impacted 164 commercial poultry operations, including 18 egg facilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n