Customers hit with buying limits on eggs

Shoppers across Coles Supermarkets have been limited to buying two cartons of eggs due to supply chain issues caused by an outbreak of bird flu detected at five farms in Victoria.

The limitations have been placed at all stores with the exception of Western Australia.

Signs placed in-stores say: Due to a shortage of supple of eggs, we have introduced a temporary limit of two items per customer/ transaction.”

“This will help maintain availability and support as many customers as possible.

“Thank you for your patience, we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

A similar message is on display for online customers.

A Coles spokesperson confirmed the buying limits and said the supermarket is liasing with their suppliers to ensure shelves would still be stocked.

“We are providing support to the industry in responding to the avian flu cases in Victoria,” they said.

Currently, no purchasing limits are in place at Woolworths or Aldi.

It’s understood only one of the affected farms supplies eggs to a small amount of Woolworths stores.

As of June 7, the highly infectious H7N3 strain, and H7N9 strain of avian flu has been detected at five poultry farms across Victoria, including four properties in Meredith, and one farm near Terang.

It’s feared up to 600,000 chickens may need to be culled, putting a huge strain on supply chains.

Sites where cases have been detected have been locked down, with movement restrictions placed around the farms.

Agriculture Victoria states the most recent detection was not unexpected, and said the authority was taking all precautions to limit the spread of the flu.

“It shows that Agriculture Victoria’s reasonable and risk-based Restricted and Control Areas and comprehensive and ongoing surveillance activities are working as they should to pick up spread of the disease,” a statement said.

Domestic poultry, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants, emus and ostriches are the most susceptible species affected by avian flu, however all bird species are believed to be susceptible to the virus.