Early on during the pandemic, there has been a wide shortage on grocery supplies. There were a lot of reasons for this: one, it could be the massive hoarding by consumers to store food in their own residences, and another reason could be due to scarcity in materials and production.
However, if it seems like the shortage has long passed, think again: reports are saying that groceries and markets are still dealing with empty shelves, and consumers should prepare.
Many grocery stores have empty shelves due to the supply chain crisis.
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“Global supply chains are beginning to buckle as two years’ worth of strain on transport workers take their toll,” said the International Chamber of Shipping together with other industry groups in a letter to the United National General Assembly.
“All transport sectors are also seeing a shortage of workers, and expect more to leave as a result of the poor treatment millions have faced during the pandemic, putting the supply chain under greater threat.”
Shoppers have flooded social media with images of bare shelves at supermarkets and department stores in recent weeks, as #EmptyShelvesJoe began trending on Twitter.
Read more: Inflation Warning: International Monetary Fund Lowers Global Growth
“We need the rest of the private sector chain to step up as well… This is not called a supply chain for nothing. This means terminal operators, railways, trucking companies, shippers, and other retailers as well. Stretching our supply chain will continue to be my team’s focus,” Biden said about the supply chain crisis.
In August, inflation was up 5.3 percent compared to the same month last year. The price for food at home has more than doubled in September from August. Some believe President Biden’s $5 trillion coronavirus stimulus has played a part in inflating prices.
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But the administration claims that this inflation rate is merely a transitory period.
Since then, the White House has announced that the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles will move towards a 24/7 operation timeline to speed up clearing the pending cargo.
Logistics and retail companies like UPS and Walmart have also announced willingness to extend operating hours to smooth out stress on supply chains.
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As of now, businesses are finding it hard to hire employees. Some are hiking wages to make sure they get enough workers. With these changes, the costs of the higher wages go into the final product price, thus driving consumer prices even higher.
Stay updated with more news here at the East County Gazette.
