Bird flu impacting availability of some grocery items

CHICOPEE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Supply chain shortages continue to impact local grocery stores and shoppers. Now, the bird flu is affecting availability of some everyday food items.

“The price of eggs has skyrocketed. I’ve gone to stores to pick up a dozen eggs and there’s only one type there and it’s the expensive type,” said Mark Paul of Chicopee.

Paul told Western Mass News that he is shocked by the cost of certain foods and continuous supply chain issues at grocery stores.

“We had a shortage in baby formula, we had a shortage in dairy products not that long ago because of a chicken flu. We’re supposed to have shortage in chickens, turkeys, eggs,” Paul noted.

Western Mass News stopped by Fruit Fair in Chicopee where they told us what items they are struggling to keep in stock over the past few weeks.

“We have had a serious shortage of deli turkeys. We have had to cancel our SKUs, all the flavored ones, low salt ones, pan-seared ones that have not been coming in,” said Fruit Fair co-owner Sam Newell.

Newell told us the reason behind what’s causing the shortage of turkey.

“It’s because of the avian flu, the bird flu. It affected chickens and turkeys all over and I remember a few months back, chicken prices went really high up because of it. A lot of our main manufacturers had to shut down because of the flu,” Newell added.

Newell said due to a cage-free egg law in the Bay State that went into effect at the beginning of the year, it is driving the egg prices higher.

“So, a lot of our SKUs got discontinued and to add to that, the bird flu, that’s driving the egg prices really high…Egg is such a basic food that provides protein at a very low cost. It’s essential,” Newell explained.

In the midst of these struggles, she is also encouraging people to shop local.

“Support your local grocery store this holiday season and always because we are the only independent store left in Chicopee of a city with 55,000 people,” Newell said.

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