Woolworths brings in limits on buying eggs amid bird flu outbreak

Woolworths shoppers will have to abide by a two-carton limit on eggs as the supermarket giant moves to shore up limited supplies amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak.

Announcing the move that came into effect on Thursday, a spokesperson said: “Along with other retailers we’re expecting a short term delay in stock from one of our egg suppliers in NSW, ACT and Victoria, due to the temporary closure of one of their packing sheds,“ it said in a written statement.

“Their supply is expected to recover over the next week as they ramp up operations at their other sites.”

“As a precaution to help manage this stock delay, we’re introducing a two-pack purchase limit on eggs in NSW, ACT and Victoria.”

Other states will not be affected.

The spokesperson said most customers only bought one pack of eggs at a time and there was no reason that should change.

“We encourage shoppers to be mindful of others and continue to only buy what they normally would. “

Coles introduced a temporary two-carton buying limit on eggs earlier this month.

“We are working closely with all of our suppliers to ensure eggs remain available for our customers and we are providing support to the industry in responding to the avian flu cases in Victoria,” a Coles spokesperson said at the time.

Bird flu has been confirmed at eight Victorian farms, a further two farms in NSW have also been confirmed to have the virus.

More than one million birds are expected to be destroyed in Victoria because of the outbreak and so far NSW’s toll is more than 320,000.

In Victoria, seven of the infected properties are confirmed to have the H7N3 strain of avian influenza and one infected property near Terang has the H7N9 strain.

The H7N8 strain has infected the NSW farms.

None are the H5N1 strain that has infected billions of wild and farmed animals globally, raising fears of human transmission.

— with AAP