Public holiday disruptions and supply issues left some shoppers with just crumbs this weekend with limits on staples such as bread and eggs.

West Auckland shoppers were faced with a one-bread product limit at the local Fresh Choice in Glen Eden after back-to-back public holidays left it in short supply.

A Titirangi man doing his family shop yesterday was frustrated to be told he had to choose between his burger buns, Vogel’s loaf and white toast bread.

The family had run out of bread for sandwiches and toast, and the man was planning to make burgers for dinner.

But the checkout operator informed him that due to a supply shortage, customers were limited to one bread item per shop. He kept the burger buns and reluctantly returned the two loaves.

“I was pretty annoyed, to be honest. It meant I had to drive to Countdown to complete my shop, where the bread shelves were fully stocked. It was a complete waste of my time.”

The man said Fresh Choice had also run completely out of eggs, with Countdown also very low.

Customers had to choose just one bread product at Fresh Choice Glen Eden with bakery goods in short supply.

Fresh Choice Glen Eden owner Pranil Ranchod said the store had been left short of bakery stock because of back-to-back public holidays.

“It was just because of the five-day turnaround and is back to normal now, there is no long-term shortage.”

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Ranchod said there was an ongoing issue with egg supply but all other produce was back in stock.

Consumers have had a tough run at the grocery store for the past few months with staff shortages, and weather and Covid-related supply chain issues causing a “hit and miss” supply of certain products.

Lemons were missing from the produce section in numerous stores yesterday and there have also been noticeable gaps in basic items such as tinned food, frozen food, cereals, pasta, cold medicine, and snacks such as multi-packs of chips, soft drinks, and ice creams.

Customers have been urged to be flexible and look for alternatives if their preferred product was missing.

And while most items should be in stock this week New Zealand supermarket chains have urged customers purchasing eggs to buy only what they need as the national shortage of eggs continues.

Packaged eggs are in short supply with some stores running out completely.

Egg Producers Federation executive director Michael Brooks told the Herald last week that more than 75 per cent of chicken farmers were impacted due to a ban on battery-caged hens.

The ban was announced in 2012, when 84 per cent of all the country’s eggs were from battery farms.