This Is Why Trader Joe’s Egg Shelves Are Near Empty Right Now

It seems like eggs are the only thing people can talk about these days. From price surges to empty shelves, this staple ingredient has had a rocky couple of years. Now, Trader Joe’s is making a major shift that could lead to even more empty shelves as the change takes effect.

Trader Joe’s Eggs Will Be Fully Cage-Free by 2025

Trader Joe’s first announced plans to go cage-free in 2016 after an online petition, which gathered over 100,000 signatures, urged the chain to prioritize ethically sourced products. The company pledged to transition to carrying only cage-free eggs by 2025. While an official statement about the transition hasn’t been released recently, customers have started noticing signs of the shift—including empty egg shelves in some stores.

Cally Rhine, Allrecipes’ newsletter senior editor, recently experienced this firsthand. “The shelves were completely empty,” she shared. “I was wondering what was going on.” Notices explaining the change have also begun to appear in stores.

One shopper in Chicago shared a photo online of a sign posted in their local store, which read: “Where are the eggs? We’re transitioning to cage-free only, which may temporarily reduce our supply. Thank you for your patience!”

Is Bird Flu Also to Blame for the Shortage?

The egg shortage isn’t solely tied to the cage-free transition. It’s also connected to the ongoing bird flu outbreak. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the H5 bird flu has devastated poultry farms, affecting over 108 million birds. Tragically, infected birds must be culled to prevent the virus from spreading, which has led to fewer egg-laying hens.

Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, explained the impact to PBS News, stating, “Seventy-five million of [the affected birds] have been egg layers. Farmers are having to go through extra steps and precautions to navigate this virus.”

Some states require that all eggs sold in stores must be cage-free. Currently, this includes California, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon, with Arizona, Colorado, and Michigan set to join by 2025. While cage-free environments often promote better overall health and stronger immune responses in birds, the risk of contracting bird flu may increase due to greater mobility and exposure to wild birds.

When state mandates require eggs to come from cage-free birds, stores cannot revert to conventional eggs during bird flu outbreaks, which can worsen shortages.

What Does ‘Cage-Free’ Really Mean?

If you’re wondering what “cage-free” entails, you’re not alone. Cage-free eggs come from hens that aren’t confined to cages but are instead raised in indoor barns. Some barns may have small outdoor porches, but these hens don’t roam freely outdoors.

Trader Joe’s previously faced a lawsuit regarding the labeling of its cage-free eggs. The cartons featured imagery of hens frolicking outdoors, which is misleading since cage-free hens don’t typically live outside.

It’s also worth noting the difference between cage-free and pasture-raised eggs. Pasture-raised hens are allowed to roam outdoors, which many shoppers prefer for ethical and nutritional reasons. While pasture-raised eggs are often more expensive, they remain a popular choice for health-conscious consumers.

The Future of Cage-Free Eggs

Trader Joe’s isn’t the only retailer or restaurant making this change. Whole Foods, CVS, Walgreens, and Chipotle committed to stocking only cage-free eggs and met their target dates early. Other major food companies have made similar commitments, including Costco, McDonald’s Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Subway (see the full list here).

As the transition continues, shoppers can expect to see cage-free eggs become the standard at more stores and restaurants nationwide. However, this shift may contribute to ongoing shortages in the near term. As more farmers gain experience in biosecurity measures, we can only hope these preventative measures will make enough of a difference to keep bird flu at bay and eggs on shelves.