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You may still be working through your leftover Halloween candy, but retailers are already gearing up to start selling you 20-pound turkeys for Thanksgiving.
What’s happening: Finding a turkey this year could be challenging for some shoppers, because of an avian flu outbreak that’s killed some 8 million birds already, according to the CDC and as reported by Axios’ Kelly Tyko and Emily Peck last week.
By the numbers: On top of that, the cost of essentially the entire Thanksgiving meal will be higher this year because of sky-high inflation.
- Turkey prices are 23% higher this year than they were in the fourth quarter of last year, according to a new report from Wells Fargo.
- Other dinner staples have also gotten much pricier, such as eggs (+32.5%), butter (+25.8%) and flour (+17.1%), per the report.
Why it matters: There’s pent-up demand to celebrate big this year after two years of COVID waves forcing people to scale down holiday gatherings. Problem is, Americans are bound to face headaches at the checkout line if they’re hosting a dinner on Nov. 24.
- In a recent Thanksgiving survey, more respondents than last year (90%) told Butterball they plan to celebrate Thanksgiving, with turkey as the centerpiece.
- Americans are economizing, however, amid fears of inflation, the survey found, by making the meal “less formal” (20%) and asking guests to bring sides (15%).
Yes, but: Some local turkey retailers and providers say they prepared for the impact from the avian flu and plan to be well-stocked.
The avian flu has affected the turkey industry as a whole, similar to how it did in 2015, says Kyle Lock, marketing VP at Butterball, which is based in Garner, NC.
- “(But) Butterball’s supply of turkeys this Thanksgiving is going to be robust,” he told Axios.
Area grocers are similarly rosy in their supply outlook.
- “We do not anticipate any issues in providing a full variety in both frozen and fresh turkeys at a competitive price,” Harris Teeter’s director of corporate affairs Danna Robinson said.
- “We will have fresh and frozen turkeys available in various sizes up until Thanksgiving, while supplies last,” Publix spokesperson Jared Glover said.
Neither would say how much inflation has impacted turkey prices since last year, though.
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