CUSTOMERS are facing restrictions on the purchase of eggs in stores in Basingstoke.

Britain's egg crisis is continuing to grow as shoppers are still facing shortages and spiralling prices.

Some packs now cost almost twice as much as they did a year ago, while in many shops they are simply not available, particularly in supermarkets in larger towns and cities.

Over the past month alone, a third of eggs on sale in the biggest nine supermarkets rose in price, according to The Grocer magazine.

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The Gazette visited the Chineham Shopping Centre on Tuesday, January 10 and found that a three-box limit is in place in Tesco in Chineham.

Shelves normally packed with eggs in Iceland were mostly empty but there seemed to be plenty of eggs lining the shelves in Marks & Spencer.

Supplies have also been hit by bird flu, with some stores across the country only selling barn eggs in limited supply.

The news comes as feed costs have skyrocketed, and the industry battles with bird flu outbreaks causing there to be little eggs on our supermarket shelves.

The National Farmers' Union in Hampshire said bird flu contributed “only a little” to the shortage and it is more a combination of different factors such as the “astronomical feed costs being one of the main drivers and the supply chain as a whole has not responded adequately to help producers with rising costs”.

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Nationally, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) said it recognised “the enormous challenges that increased energy prices, input costs and labour shortages were causing for all farmers and growers".

Last month the NFU requested an urgent investigation by Defra into the egg supply chain disruption that affects producers and customers.

NFU President Minette Batters previously said "it is critical that Defra acts now to investigate the issues in the egg supply chain".

She also said “producers must have the confidence they need in order to meet demand”.

Prices have also increased with a pack of six free-range eggs at Asda costing £1.95 - an increase of 18 per cent. The figures come from analysis by Assosia and published by The Grocer.