This Store Won’t Sell Eggs Anymore Due to Rising Prices
The announcement comes as a blow to thrifty shoppers everywhere.
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It's no surprise eggs are expensive right now. But this week, thrifty shoppers everywhere were delivered a shocking blow: Dollar Tree—which was seen as a bargain hunters' secret to combatting egg-flation—will no longer sell the staple.
A spokesperson for the store confirmed the news in a statement to Reuters, saying they didn't anticipate being able to restock the staple until later in the year, likely fall. The reason? The budget-friendly chain can no longer keep up with record-high egg prices.
Eggs have skyrocketed in price, peaking this past fall at over 60% more expensive than the year prior. Despite (finally!) falling slightly in February, the discount chain faced major losses if it continued to sell eggs at the low price customers have come to expect. The store increased its prices from $1.00 to $1.25 back in 2021, with some items like frozen meals priced between $3 and $5.
Dollar Tree—which has over 8,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada—has gained popularity in the last few years as a destination for cheap groceries. In fact, there are even entire social media accounts dedicated to cooking with products from the store, and thus a community of people for which this news will come as a huge disappointment.
Moreover, it's particularly difficult timing considering the two upcoming egg-centric holidays (Easter and Passover). Looks like we may be left to dye potatoes for Easter after all.
There are a few silver linings to the news: Dollar Tree also operates Family Dollar (with over 8,000 locations) which will continue to sell eggs. Family Dollar prices items up to $10 and therefore can afford to continue selling the staple without major profit loss.
Additionally, Dollar General—Dollar Tree's main competitor—confirmed it will continue to sell eggs and has a healthy stock in its 19,000 stores, according to a statement released by the company. When we surveyed local prices in January, Dollar General was found to be the cheapest place to buy eggs, charging just $2.50 for a dozen.
