From Christmas trees to kids' lunches, product shortages continue to hamper shoppers
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
From Christmas trees to sportswear, product shortages continue to frustrate consumers across the country amid ongoing labor shortages, supply chain snarls, congestion at shipping ports and extreme weather conditions.
Movie fans trying to preorder food items on the AMC Theatres app are currently greeted with an alert that "Due to nationwide supply chain issues, some of your favorite items may be temporarily unavailable."
Other food and drink items that have run low recently include chicken, alcohol and even Lunchables.
Coffee giant Starbucks said it is also seeing localized shortages of certain items.
"These supply chain disruptions are industrywide, and Starbucks is not immune," company spokesperson Sanja Gould told NBC News.
KFC even stopped advertising one of its menu items on TV out of concern the company would not be able to fulfill surplus demand.
U.S. president Kevin Hochman told Bloomberg earlier this month that the fried chicken joint is opting out of advertising its chicken tenders on television because it "would love to have more to be able to aggressively promote it on TV."
Grocers are even struggling to meet the food demand for pets, according to Bloomberg.
Adding to the struggle for product availability is a shortage of truck drivers, which means restaurants across the country have had to switch up their menus, swapping out items like baby back ribs for spare ribs in order to keep customers' plates full.
According to a recent report from the American Trucking Association, the industry was already short by more than 60,000 drivers at the end of 2018. That shortage could jump to over 160,000 by 2028, the ATA predicts.
The nationwide labor shortage continues to impact a wide variety of industries, as workers stay home out of fears of contracting the virus, to look after their children while day cares remain closed or fully booked, or because of early retirement or mismatched skills compared to open jobs.
"If you look at the base of a lot of the issues that we're seeing with supply chain, a lot of it is labor-related and it really creates a domino effect," said Doug Baker, vice president of industry relations at FMI, the Food Industry Association.
"It is very complex. It's almost like putting a puzzle together," he said.
Amid a record-high demand for imported goods and a shortage of shipping containers and truckers, the twin ports are currently seeing unprecedented congestion.Mario Tama / Getty Images
Big box retailers echoed that sentiment, with Home Depot President and Chief Operating Officer Ted Decker telling investors on a recent earnings call that shortages can be "category by category."
"There's a Covid outbreak in a factory, there's a shipping constraint, there's a domestic transportation capacity constraint, so it's been the story of two steps forward, one step back," Decker said, adding that the home improvement chain is "making progress."
Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti told investors on an earnings call Thursday that the wholesaler is capping purchases on toilet paper, paper towels and water after seeing an uptick in demand due to the spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus. He also said appliances and electronics have been impacted by the global semiconductor chip shortage.
Sportswear and equipment retailers have also felt the heat during the pandemic due to international factory closures and consumers turning to the great outdoors for an escape from lockdown.
Nike Chief Financial Officer Matthew Friend told investors Thursday that the sportswear giant is "maximizing" its "footwear production capacity in other countries" and moving apparel production out of Vietnam — where nearly half of the company's apparel factories are closed due to Covid restrictions — to countries like Indonesia and China in order to alleviate production and delivery delays.
These troubles have trickled down to local merchants, like independent running retailer Brooklyn Running Company in New York. General manager Steven Crnic said that although his two stores have had enough inventory, their usual abundance of sneaker colors, styles and new releases across brands is what has been lacking this year. Telling customers that their desired option isn't available has been an "almost daily occurrence," he said, adding that delay notices from vendors has been "happening more regularly" over the past couple of months.
"We're kind of scrambling to get enough product — and product that people want," he said. "It's been a bit of a tough challenge and something that's sort of new for us."
These supply chain snarls are at the forefront of minds across all industries, especially heading into what could be a record holiday season.
In the retail sector, over 80 percent of executives said they are "somewhat" or "very concerned" about inventory shortages during the 2021 holiday season, according to a recent survey from KPMG.
Nike also said Thursday that holiday production and delivery times have already been impacted by factory closures. Costco, Target, Walmart, Home Depot and Ikea have been chartering their own ships for imports to alleviate holiday inventory anxiety.
The American Christmas Tree Association is even urging consumers to act now, citing wildfires, heat waves and drought periods impacting the supply of real trees and supply chain challenges impacting the supply of artificial ones.
"If I can give one piece of advice to consumers right now, it is to find and buy your Christmas tree early," ACTA executive director Jami Warner said last week.
When it comes to the holiday dinner table, Baker recommends consumers be versatile when it comes to brand choice.
"If you're willing to be flexible and work with the retailer, they will find you an option or a couple of options within any given category so that you can continue to make the meals that you're used to making and have the holiday festivities that you want to have," he said.
"But, it is tough out there."
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The city of Ocala, FL. power company has openings for 6 linemen salaries starting at $73,000 to $87,000 per year. The shortage of labor is everywhere.
I've experienced the cat food shortage from Chewy.com
Tell me it isn't so - which foods 'cause I'm getting ready to order some from them?????
Meow Mix cups, but my last 2 shipments had them
Thanks. Been ordering Fancy Feast Pate mostly - with gravy, of course, for the "elder" kitties.
Sorry for going off topic.
Do yours like it? My ancient kitty is turning his nose up at the Meow Mix and the Diva walks away from it
Absolutely love it - as long as it is the Salmon/Tuna/any fish. They hate the beef/liver crap. I probably would too 'cause it smells like crap.
Thanks for the info
The only shortage I have experienced are the pre roasted turkey breasts at Ralphs. I finally got one after waiting for about a month. Now I can make my special grilled turkey/mozzarella cheese sammich.
ummm why don't you just buy the turkey breast and roast it in a crock pot? Easy Peasy...
(and I'm too tight fisted to pay someone else for cooking a turkey breast when I do it better anyway... )
One, I don't have a crock pot. Two, I am not a great cook. [deleted]
wow - I just ask a simple question and you tell me to fuck off... ok, got it.
I hope you have a nice life and I hope things would out for you better than how you treat others.
I believe her comment was in reference to how you treat others.
One of my local grocery stores has precooked rotisserie whole chickens.
I find them to be delicious and I'm not sure I could cook a whole chicken so well myself.
I'd pay to see it if you decide to.
I have a recipe, John. I think it's easy but then again I've been doing roast chickens for 20 some odd years.
Albertson's has the same here - luv the damn things, 'specially the herb butter - wow.
I know I couldn't. The one thing I can cook really well is meatloaf.
I suck at meatloaf...but I love it
I make good jambalaya, stews, chop suey, pretty much one pot dishes. Beyond that such as roasting a chicken is not my thing.
It's a lot easier than you think, tho it does take a certain amount of prep.
Get a 5-7 pound hen. Get all the giblets and neck out of the cavity. Wash the cavity in cool water. Pat dry with paper towel. Trim excess fat, unless you like it. Stuff cavity with celery and onions. Strew celery and onions around the chicken.
Now for seasoning the bird. I like butter, so I melt it, maybe add some olive oil then the seasonings I like, garlic, poultry seasoning, lemon, pepper. Use what you want. Mix your seasonings into the melted butter/olive oil. Pour over chicken, use a brush it spread the stuff. Pop into preheated 350 degree oven. Roast for 20 minutes per pound. Baste occasionally
Use the leavings for your gravy
Sounds like the way I roast a turkey.
Basically the same
I guess I should look for a turkey now and keep it in the deep freeze.
place deep fat fryer in back yard on ground tilted 20 degrees towards neighbors home you don't like. fill with cooking oil and bring oil to temperature. wait for neighbors to seat at holiday table. lock your home and have car running in the driveway. unplug fryer and drop frozen turkey into heated oil. run to car and drive away.
you say this naive shit subconsciously, don't you...
yeah...I think so
... just trying to protect you from the people that bought maga hats that were too small.
Oh...they're just idiots and I ignore most of them
The rest of your post was making me hungry, but alas I must take objection to the term "leavings".
LOL!
Where I come from that's what it's called
Doesn't seem to be a problem around here. Stores always seem full.
Has not stopped people from shopping.
all boils down to people anti vaxers in my most humble opine, and Bee Fore eye need sting anothers under skin, think about it. If we were at Herd Immunity, or so i herd, we would be having FAR LESS outbreaks shutting US down.
And yes, we cannot control some of this, because it is a world wide pandemic systemic, but, it would be a major factor eliminated, if we did have less outbreaks, and thus why we need all to get the vaccine, cause ain't no mistake, it determines the effects of the supplies we buys, so as "i'm afraid to go out and catch Covid", can only be a legitimate excuse for but a few
People are spoiled after these checks and unemployment income, but they were necessary. Now it's time to get everyone back to work, and fill these jobs, so get off your asses , lazy slobs.
I've had difficulty in finding help, and it blows, and only shows, how spoiled these people are cause we already knows, who the truth be about, and why we will be stuck having to do without , and basically, it's because and due, vaccine Babies who wouldn't do,,,it.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,suck and can chew it. Many around the globe would B Happy if they had a chance to get vaccine, and our population and it's ignorance, is obscene around tjemfwwqdlp[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[=ppdwddqwp=xx[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[xxxxw
sorry, i dozed off and obviously leaned on the keyboard,. i'm guessing it was to the left...
I was beginning to think that this article should have been posted under the Food and Wine category instead of News and Politics.
Interesting that the article says this...
....when only a short time ago I read that Nike was moving its production facilities from China to Vietnam since Nike's accusation of slave labour being used in China virtually deadened Nike's populatity in China. If they're moving their manufacturing back to China, do they intend to chain the workers to their machines? s/