SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) - The bird flu won’t kill you, but it will damage your wallet or purse.
The deaths of millions of chicken nationwide due to the H-5-N-2 avian flu strain has lowered the supply of eggs across the country, but it has hit the Midwest hardest due to the most cases of the bird flu happening here. As basic economic dictate, fewer eggs mean higher prices.
WHBL News reached out to locally owned Piggly Wiggly stores in Sheboygan County to find out what the impact all this has had on stores.
Sam Kohlhagen of Blattner’s Piggly Wiggly in Sheboygan Falls says the price for eggs jumped quickly three weeks ago, but has leveled off recently at a dollar more a dozen. They have responded to this with posting signs informing customers why prices have increase, and also purchasing fewer eggs to sell due to the higher wholesale costs.
Jay Mentink, owner of Mentink’s Market in Oostburg, says customers have reacted to the higher prices by buying fewer eggs. He says sales are down around 25 percent.
Butcher Brandon Root at Cedar Grove Piggly Wiggly says customers have not bought fewer eggs, but have reacted in another way by complaining to management.
Mark Tietz, owner of Tietz's Piggly Wiggly of Sheboygan says they have had to increase prices for eggs due to the increase elsewhere. The biggest impact for them is not offering eggs for sale, which they have done in the past.
No one knows when prices will go down, but they hope it’s soon.