Another Toilet Paper Shortage? Look So As Supply Chain Issues Clog Distribution
It's almost like a repeat of early 2020 all over again. Toilet paper is becoming harder and harder to find and people panicked that they'll run out, are buying all that they can which isn't helping the situation.
The warning that maybe supply was getting low came from my mother a month ago when she told me that both Cosco and Walmart in her Albany area neighborhood were bare-shelved when it came to toilet paper.
Last weekend, while standing in the checkout at Aldi in Vestal, a woman approached the cashier and asked if there was more toilet paper in the back. The employee said that there wasn't and that they didn't know when more would be coming in. Then, she made a comment about how they couldn't keep the product on the shelves.
On Monday, a friend sent me a text showing almost completely bare shelves of toilet paper at Sam's Club in Vestal. So, what's the deal? Is there really a legitimate toilet paper shortage or are people unnecessarily panicking and hoarding for no reason?
Experts say that there are a variety of reasons why certain items such a toilet paper, chicken, and even coffee are harder to find. The biggest reason is that shipping costs have skyrocketed as demand for the items has outpaced the supply.
According to Burt Flickinger, a retail expert, Americans should expect product shortages to be just as bad as when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Clearly, we hope this won't be the case but there's no guarantee it won't be.
Forbes jumped in and said that there are some serious bottlenecks in the supply chain which are made worse by a shortage of shipping container problems. Does this mean we should panic buy? No. Please don't do that as it will only make the situation worse.
On another note, if you're tired of worrying about running out of toilet paper, the bidet industry is currently booming in America. Seriously.