Overview
- Supermarkets including Aldi, Rewe, Lidl and Kaufland continue to see intermittent shortages that are most visible in North Rhine-Westphalia and often affect specific sizes or husbandry types.
- Outbreaks of avian influenza in Saxony, including culling at a large farm near Radeburg, have removed significant laying capacity and tightened regional supply.
- Hans-Peter Goldnick of the poultry industry association attributes the acute squeeze largely to holiday-period demand and logistics failures, noting egg consumption has risen about 10% over two years.
- Retailers say basic availability is maintained but warn of regional delivery delays, temporary gaps and occasional substitutions as they adjust shipments.
- The sector expects slight relief in January while cautioning that rebuilding flocks will take months, with ongoing import shortfalls from the Netherlands and Poland and likely higher prices in 2026.