Walmart and Sam’s Club are the latest stores to place some limits on egg purchases as supplies run short and prices run high.

Last month a dozen eggs cost about $5 and they’re still expected to climb by about 20.3%, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, according to NBC News.

In 2019, eggs were about $1.54 a dozen, but last year’s $4.15 a dozen was a 170% increase, CBS News reported.

In New York, the average is more than $8 a dozen with some bodegas in New York City selling eggs individually instead of by the carton because shoppers can’t afford the $10 or more that is being charged, NBC News and the New York Post reported.

Organic and cage-free eggs may cost even more, The Associated Press reported.

The shortage and resulting high prices are due to bird flu that has affected the chicken population. About 13 million hens have been killed or died from the disease since December, the USDA said. CBS News said about 40 million birds were killed last year with 148 million euthanized since the bird flu started spreading in 2022.

Another possible contribution to the shortages of eggs is that diets have changed to a more protein-heavy trend, causing an uptick in demand, CBS News reported.

Whatever the cause, there is a shortage and stores are trying to make sure that eggs are available for their customers.

Walmart and Sam’s Club are joining stores like Trader Joe’s and Costco to put limits on how many eggs a shopper can purchase.

Walmart is only allowing bulk buyers to purchase two 60-count cartons at one time. The store has not put a limit on smaller cartons, NBC News reported.

Sam’s is allowing people to buy two cartons.

Kroger is only allowing two dozen eggs to be purchased on one trip at some stores, but it is not chain-wide, CBS News reported.

Aldi also has a two-dozen limit, according to NBC News.

Whole Foods and Costco are allowing three, one-dozen carton purchases per person, but it depends on the store’s location, NBC News reported.

Target had limits only in Hawaii as of Wednesday, but may have to “adjust as needed,” a spokesperson told CBS News.

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