This Thanksgiving, turkey prices in US grocery stores are playing a sneaky game! While bird flu outbreaks have spiked and sent wholesale turkey prices soaring by almost 80%, shoppers are happily seeing no big price jumps at supermarkets. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed that turkey prices advertised in stores are pretty much the same as last year. Why? Stores are betting on keeping customers happy by absorbing the extra costs themselves, reported NBC News. So, what’s causing this turkey trouble? The bird flu has been on a rampage again this autumn across commercial poultry farms. Over 2 million turkeys had to be culled by October after exposure to the virus. Minnesota, the country’s top turkey-producer, faced six confirmed bird flu outbreaks in October alone. But wait, there’s more! David Ortega, a food economist at Michigan State University, told NBC that another virus called avian metapneumovirus is also messing things up by reducing healthy eggs laid by hens. This double whammy is slowing farmers as they try to rebuild their turkey flocks for the big feast. With fewer turkeys being raised, supplies are tightening. The USDA projects turkey production will drop to 4.8 million pounds this year compared to 5.1 million pounds in 2024. Naturally, this scarcity sent wholesale frozen turkey prices — the favorite for family dinners — leaping from under $1 per pound to over $1.70. But here’s the twist! Even with these soaring wholesale costs, fine supermarkets are not hiking their retail prices. Ortega explained that retailers often treat turkeys like a "loss leader," meaning they sell turkeys at or below cost to attract shoppers, hoping customers will buy other items to balance the bill. When it comes to the total Thanksgiving meal cost, the story gets a bit mixed. Some data suggests the overall meal cost jumped by nearly 10%, while others say it actually fell by up to 5%. Either way, one thing is clear — the turkey price drama is real, but shoppers won’t have to shell out extra just yet. Happy Thanksgiving turkey hunting!