Over the past several weeks, I have written numerous articles on the state of the food supply chain and the coming food shortages. From the time I began writing those articles to now, pending food shortage claims have gone from “dangerous conspiracy theories” to mainstream news topics.
While the government began the alleged pandemic stating that there were no disruptions to the supply chain (which was patently absurd), it now openly admits there “may” be shortages of certain foods and supplies over the coming months.
The concept of food shortages has gone from theoretical to real
As governments continue to use COVID as an excuse to enable their ulterior motives, the financial stability of many will become shakier. That will cause consumer’s habits to change. Shoppers will be less likely to buy luxury foods. As a result of the change in these habits, the supply itself will drastically change. And in addition to all that, producers are going to have difficulty processing and packaging foods.
The food shortages and are now being openly discussed, even in mainstream circles. For instance, Carolyn Dimitri, associate professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University, says:
“Because agriculture is so labor dependent, if you end up having a huge outbreak during the planting season or the harvest season (and it’s kind of hard to predict when that will happen) it will disrupt the ability of people to work either on the farm or in the processing facilities, and there will continually be problems.” (source)
Items consumers may see less of in the coming months
An article published on Business Insider offers some insight into the possible shortages we may be facing, as well as explanations for why this may be happening. Here are 9 of those items:
Beef – The National Cattleman’s Beef Association has stated that cattle ranchers face over $13 billion in losses that will continue through 2021. The Food and Environment Reporting Network has claimed over 11,496 factory workers in the meatpacking industry, and food plants have contracted COVID.
Those claims are significant not because of the virus itself but because of the shutdowns and strain it puts on the individual factories, consumers, and industry as a whole.
Pork – NPR has reported that a Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, recently shut down after around 300 employees tested positive for COVID. The facility did reopen, but other facilities are at risk of experiencing the same thing. Keep in mind that the factory supplies between 4 and 5% of the US pork supply.
Chicken – Chicken plants are also in danger due to the “close quarters” of the facilities.
Whole Deli Sections – Gomez also pointed out that deli sections, in general, are in danger because they “typically need more employees and preparation in-store.”
Imported foods – “Many countries that export commodities are worried about food security. In response, some are restricting exports of certain commodities to ensure enough availability in the countries,” said Gomez.
Highly Perishable Foods – As the food supply begins to show signs of weakening, consumers are likely to pass over foods with a short shelf life in favor of more easily stored products. Lockdowns and shutdowns will likely create the same reaction.
“In terms of what we see consumers buying more of, we see things they can store for a long time,” Gomez said. “For example, they prefer to buy apples because they last longer in the refrigerator than broccoli or things that are very perishable.”
Think about what happens when the tide begins to turn, and consumers start buying more storable goods. How long do you think those storable goods are going to last on the shelves? What will the next empty shelf syndrome be?
“Fancy” perishables and berries – The shift from buying fancy foods to basics has already begun. Instead of buying more expensive fruits, consumers are buying basic, cheaper fruits like bananas and oranges.
With consumers being thrifty with their food budgets by not buying expensive products, the supply chain will be further affected. Those less expensive items will eventually become hard to get as well.
Lettuce – There is already a lettuce shortage happening right now. Due to extreme heat, fires, and a virus attacking lettuce plants in California, lettuce is currently in short supply, with major chains like Wendy’s already limiting the vegetable on their sandwiches.
Seasonable fruits and vegetables – According to Dimitri, these items are already experiencing a “change” in supply.
“We are heading into the US domestic production season, and we tend to supply most of the produce until the early winter, so I don’t anticipate seeing a huge effect at the grocery store until we have a change in season,” she said.
Dimitri explained that labor shortage in other countries and the slow down in the supply chain would result in spoiled produce before reaching the United States.
Prepare now.
Food shortage is no longer a conspiracy theory. These experts are advising us to take action now. Keep in mind we may soon be facing another round of lockdowns, which will strain the supply chain even further.
- Here’s what to buy to prepare for a lockdown.
- Here’s what to buy when the things you want are out of stock.
- Here are 9 things to buy every time you go to the store.
While there’s still some time to prepare, events are unfolding quickly. We’ve watched a similar scenario unfold in Venezuela. Let that be a cautionary tale and purchase while you can. After that, focus on what you can produce or acquire locally – the global supply chain is no longer a reliable source of food.
Have you seen any difference in the quantity or quality of these foods at your local stores? Let us know in the comments and please give us a general idea of where you are (just the state is fine.)
Some of the cattle industry is self inflicted. Back when they couldn’t get it to slaughter I offered to buy one from a friend who’s family was sitting on 70 head.
First excuse was we don’t want to just pull one from the penned herd.
I said “easy enough I’ll just shoot it and remove it that way” after all I’m butchering it myself.
Next excuse was “we don’t want to sell them one at a time”.
I said “ok so how many do you need to go in with me to make it worth your while?”
They refused to answer only wanting to sell all 70.
So putting a days wages and having fuel money to get them to market wasn’t enough incentive. Yeah you ain’t hurting your just whining. Looking for the tax write off and bailout.
I know one fellow who made a bundle off of the pigs and beef. He ran a stock trailer west, loaded it with pigs of beef. He sold the butcher hogs right off the trailer. He made a good profit and made several runs. What people need to remember is that won’t happen next year. Butcher size can’t be sold at that price in a normal market. The sellers did not even break even but couldn’t or wouldn’t just cull them and bury them in the ground.
People are still buying premade food like crazy. That stuff is not shelf stable and if/when there is a grid down scenario, then what? We are still a nation of convenience. I am not sure the lesson was actually learned as much as a “Whew, glad that’s over” moment. I would like to think people are better prepared now but I also know how easy people are lulled into “peace and safety”.
I think the days are dwindling to top off and hunker down for the next big event. Choose your poison, the list is long.
What a lot of folks are banking on is it not needing to be long term. Between election fears and political lockdowns they believe they’ve got months at best.
I’m not sure they are wrong.
The long term stuff has become out of reach for many. Some cans from places are running $75. Others are priced normal but they aren’t well known.
I bought two of those pigs. There growing fast now and rooting like i want. But at first what a nightmare, i swear after showing up sick and getting over that they didn’t know how to be a pig. Many of us raised heritage pigs around here and a few years ago the bottom fell out. No way to make your money back. What i wouldn’t give for my breeder sows back today. Ah well we had switched to milk cows and that has a golden nugget.
Nature finds a way, my only regret is they bobed there tails so you cant see them squiggling in the wallers.
When I saw the pandemic lockdown coming, I order a side of beef. I brought a second side two months later. I am good for the year and then some. I planted some lettuce in the greenhouse last month and started a second barrel yesterday. My problem is not eggs, since some of my chickens are still laying. Ducks and turkeys aren’t. My problem is getting feed. Each trip we make we stop at a feed store in different areas. We buy all they have which is not much. I easily need twenty 50-lbs bags a month. However, I am doing good to get 4 or 5 bags at any location. And yes the prices have gone up. We loaned our featherman out to a friend who is butchering 50 ducks. When we get ours back, we will be culling our turkeys and roosters.
I brought some citrus trees from USA Citrus which will start fruiting this next year. However last night I got an email from them saying that the USDA came in and shut their tree operations down. The reason was the hurricane in July damage one of their green houses. Even though they fixed the damage immediately and there is no evidence of disease on the trees or greenhouse. The USAD has refused to allow them to ship their trees anymore. Can you say corruption? One way to shut down a small producer and keep people from buying those micro trees to grow inside their houses. However they are selling their citrus fruits online.
One of my main concerns also is feed. With the corn shortages globally, and our corn being sold often out of country, I expect feed costs to go up or feed to get scarce. I live in the desert and most things are trucked in. This week, my adult kids and I ordered about 2500lbs if chicken feed and grain for other livestock. With the amount we ordered, we were able to use a 15percent discount that saved us about $100 on the total. That will last us only 4 mo with the amount of livestock we have. I plan to rotate Feed and continue to buy my monthly amount, but if there’s a hiccup in supply or prices go too high, I have a couple months before I start culling the flock to make what we have last longer.
I was at the walmart yesterday, and some of the shelves were half empty… these were on the soaps, fabric softeners, and bleach aisle. Everything else was stocked …. strange????
I buy my cleaning supplies from mygreenfills.com. It is a little more expensive, but is natural products. My husband is chemically sensitive. The only exception is my dish soap. They only sell dish washer soap and I don’t own a dish washer. Even then I buy my dish soap online from Vitacost. Only because the grocery stores often don’t have Mrs. Meyers brand of dish soap in stock most of the time. Bar soap I buy from a lady at the flea market. She also sells online. mygreenfills is not a corporation but a small business whose philosophy follows mine. During the pandemic they gave away one free refill to all the people in their hometown each week of laundry soap.
Likewise, also the refills dont take up much space, so storage wise its great. I think they are working on dish-soap. ( the stain stick saved some clothes). Thanks for the tip on Mrs Meyers.
I work there part time as a cashier and just today I noticed all the bleach and cleaning supplies aisle was empty. Soap is selling like no tomorrow. Clothes washing liquid flies out of the store. They can’t keep in the 70% or 91% alcohol in the pharmacy aisle. Overflowing with T Paper though….and lots of meats as well. Another local store I shop at has loads of beef, pork, and just recently I bought whole frozen turkeys at 66 cents a pound…lots of fresh chicken available there, too.\, from Tyson no less. The fruit, oranges, at WM for instance are now coming from Chile or South Africa…. I don’t buy that foreign stuff….but lots of folks don’t look to see where their produce comes from. Walmart is not the end all to end all…..they only carry what they can make a killing out of. They just jacked up their shredded Parmesan cheese from $1.76 to $2.22. I just bought it 2 weeks ago at $1.76. Not a major hike but they sneak the prices up a little at a time when you are not looking on a lot of stuff….even TP gets jacked up a few dimes every week. Be sure to stock up on TP, hand soap, bleach, clothes washing detergent now before there is none….I am….you should, too.
“they sneak the prices up a little at a time”
my store does it by .2 to .33 or more on two or three items at a time. one day it’s 2.69, the next it’s 3.99.
Denver, CO
The quality of fresh produce is diminishing already – romaine browns within days of purchase. Organic seedless grapes are smaller and the skin is thicker. Asparagus is harder and more fibrous. Rationing of cleaning products in some areas. Disinfectant wipes are literally GONE – house brands watered down and quality compromised. Bottled water is severely rationed in some areas. This state is severely affected by the endless wildfires. Air quality has been compromised for over four months and the local produce reflects the oxygen deprivation. Washington state apples softened twice as fast and turn mushy.
I was wondering what had happened to my apples – you’re right, the quality really has gone down on those too, and I can understand why now that I put two brain cells together. 🙂 I’m starting to see some TP shortages again and there are still big gaps in the soap aisle that never really went away.
Redbranch, I’m seeing similar shortages in my area of PA also, as well as limits on canned food purchases, “fronting” being done on grocery store shelves in my small town to make them appear more well-stocked than they really are, and prices that have increased drastically on almost all items in those stores.
“Fronting” has been done at every grocery store for years. No conspiracy here, just good old fashioned business.
The companies that make those goods that your grocery store is “fronting” at eye level shelves sure as heck don’t pay for that position on the shelf so that the next lower shelf might have a few more goods still at the front.
“Fronting” is a normal part of selling retail goods.
Same with FIFO or “First In; First Out” on goods with short shelf lives like dairy; which employees should also be “Fronting” all day, every day.
I am pleasantly surprised to be able to report that the stores in my part of Albuquerque have not had any shortages as far as I have seen since the initial lockdown panic shopping. We have had no difficulty stocking up on what we need, with the exception of jars at some Walmart’s. The one near my wife’s work was down to a few half pints, which we bought, but the one near our apartment was pretty well stocked last I checked.
I live in a town of about 4000 in the missouri ozarks. We have one family owned store where I can find most everything. The town also has another larger chain store and a walmart. Supplies fluctuate daily. For 3 weeks the only potatoes we could get were reds. Vegetable and fruit are very sparse, expensive and poor quality. We were lucky to have dehydrated about 200 lbs of apples from our tree. It was a bumper year. Last year we got none. High perishable fruit is not available. Meat is very expensive and not much variety. Beef is steaks and hamburger. No roasts, ribs or cheap cuts. Pork is chops or ground. Chickens are usually either legs and thighs or breasts. Never see whole chickens, parts or giblets. Never know what brand it will be. Our little store is the best and they cut everything fresh every day. Also they freeze anything that does not sell by closing at a discount. We buy lots of discount to keep the freezers full. Also go to a discount grocery about 20 miles away for better vegetables, discount items like salad dressings, ketchup, oil etc and they have great lunch meat frest cut and bags of frozen fruit that I buy and cook down to put in homemade yogurt. Brands of items change every visit so you have to be flexible. Paper products, cleaning products, flour, salt, yeast, and fresh milk are hit and miss. I get my eggs from a friend who raises chickens and usually get a few dozen stewers when they butcher and i cook soup, pot pies, casseroles etc for freezer meals. Also some days there is not a loaf of bread to be had so I stocked up on supplies as I could find and make my own. Walmart is very bare and limits on everything. Had to go back 3 times for dog food. We have 2 large dogs and go thru 100lbs a month. Try to keep a few months ahead. We used to spend 400$ a month for groceries. Now its 550 to 600. Buy some hard to find things occasionally on line but very expensive. I thinks this winter is going to be bleak so we are ready to hunker down again if necessary.
I buy my pet food at Chewy.com. Fee delivery in usually two days. Very good price..
Your should order your Dog Food via internet off Target. They ship directly to your home for free over $35 order….and they have a subscription service to automatically fill your orders. I get my canned dog food from them every month delivered right to my front door…even when the local WM is out of canned anything!!! They have a great assortment of canned Pedigree that they don’t carry in WM, too!! And dry food. I can’t ask for better than that. They even delivered during the lockdown like clockwork……when local stores had zero to none canned food for my ‘kids’…. the prices are about the same as if you shopped at the local Target, too…. Don’t bother with Amazon as their prices are not cheap or reasonable….. And you can cancel your subscription at any time after you get your first order if you so wish or change your schedule around to suit you. Very flexible. Try them….you won’t be sorry.
Well If Biden becomes president, all of this and a whole lot of worse things will occur.
If he is removed and Harris replaces him it will get even worse.
So a lot of this will depend upon the Election.
With the current “testing” creating so many false positives it is crazy.
With so many people being diagnosed only by symptoms (which are also the Flu’s symptoms). it is further craziness.
Considering we have had about the lowest number of Flu cases ever reported, probably a lot of mis-diagnoses is going on.
So until the medical community finally stands up and stops this craziness, promoted by special interest groups, expect big problems to continue.
You are so right about everything. I am very worried. Esp for my adult children and their children. Harris is even more radical than HC.
A friend told me yesterday that her daughter lined up to take a test….but the line was so long she didn’t stay and get tested. But ODDLY enough she got a letter in the mail two weeks later saying she tested POSITIVE!!! Yet she didn’t take any test….RIGGED FAKE TESTING? YOU BETCHA…..
“when he is removed and Harris replaces him”
fify
yep, the hallmark of all internationalist bolshevik regimes everywhere is an immediate and permanent shortage of food.
I went out this morning and bought five bags of Spicy Nacho Doritos, I’m all set for the apocalypse. I’m kidding about being all set, of course, I did buy the Doritos, though. It’s a comfort food I’ll miss if it ever goes away. In my area of the commiewealth of marxachusetts, I’m not seeing many shortages. Being a gluten free, vegetarian, though, I’m not aware of issues with anything I don’t usually purchase. I did buy toilet paper the other day, it was the first time I’ve bought any this year. Probably won’t open that package for another year or two. As far as food goes, I’m doing OK. I dug a twenty one gallon fish tank out of my shed this past week, going to try some small scale aquaponics. No pun intended.
Good luck everybody! Keep batten down the hatches and adding to your supplies. It’s going to be a very long depression.
@Timothy
I know what you mean about wanting to stock up on your most favorites. I absolutely love my Simply Naturals White Cheddar Cheetos. Life in a crisis without those would be unthinkable. LOL
Life may be a crisis without Cheetos or tortilla chips, but it is an absolute SHTF/end of the world catastrophe when there is no salsa to go with the chips. Soooooooooo, I bought a 20 pound box of seconds yesterday at the farmers market and I will be canning salsa this afternoon. BTW, these seconds are better looking than what is offered at the grocery store right now.
Stay calm and munch on.
I live on a small island reachable only by ferry in the NC outer banks. We survived a 7 foot tidal wave last fall, so most of us are more prepared than most & often keep enough food for a month or more. We have only ONE food store & ONE gas station on the island. The food store has done an admirable job of keeping the shelves stocked (small patron base), but most of the stores “off island” are showing significant shortages. Initially it was the usual TP, milk & bread, then processed food was low. As they run out of back stocks, the prices have continued to rise, even on things like essentials. Haven’t seen paper plates since spring.
On an aside, I am a self employed veterinarian who purchases all the drugs, supplies, & pet food my self. Many drugs are on “long term back order”, while others have doubled in price (most of what I use as the same sources as humans). While your local pharmacy, particularly the big ones provide a veneer of normalcy, be aware, the shortages & price increases are real and coming your way.
“While your local pharmacy, particularly the big ones provide a veneer of normalcy”
not mine. used to be you could by extra if it wasn’t restricted and if you paid for it yourself. no more, now they won’t sell you anything at all unless the doctor prescribes it and the insurance pays for it, so it’s impossible to have a month’s worth of anything set aside for disruptions.
When there was no toilet paper in the winter I bought lg packs of the thin cheap dinner napkins. Would work in a pinch
Or after a pinch!
I was shocked last week when at our local government food handout that among other things they gave us a 5 pound package of ground beef. They handed out ground beef before but never this much at one time.
The thing is that they are running out of food to hand out and there are still people in line that get none.
Seems weird.
I live in Eastern NC about a 7 to 8 minute drive outside a city of about 90,000 (when college is in). I shop at three different stores – Publix, Harris Teeter, and Food Lion. I see the same shortages in all but some unique to each store. All three stores have much less stocked in spices, household cleaners ( REALLY sparse), canned veg and fruits. I haven’t had a problem with rice, dried beans, pasta or coffee & water. Lots of all of that. Meat is no problem either though prices are about 20- 30% higher than a year ago.
Every time one of the stores has a BOGO on the two brands pet food we use – I buy it, I have 4 cats I’m responsible for and I don’t want to have nothing to feed them if supplies are hard to get later. I have 4 or 5 bags of litter on hand at all times but I know I need to add to that too. With 4 cats I can easily go through a bag of litter each week. So many things to buy and a budget to live within! It can be tricky.
I have noticed a reduction of quality in storebrand cheese. While it was never gourmet it was ok quality. Now I will not even buy it it is terrible! I still nuy some cheaper regional cheese brands and they seem ok but store brand NO!!!
Here there are shortages but nothing like winter was, but Christmas food shoppers were warned to shop early and would need to shop around. I put extra Christmas foods away early and started on pudding and cake already. Meat is stocked up. We find out today if our shops are opening after a few months of being closed. Then we’ll get a real idea of the shortages . Got lots in the garden for spring, way more than normal hoping to can some.
THE HERO’S of america have some VERY bad things planned for this country,and theres NO men to stand up and stop them,THEY LOVE THEIR SLAVE MASTERS,your christmas will be unlike any in history,THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE MEN TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF AMERICA WILL FIND THE PEOPLE CRYING IN THE STREETS FOR MERCY FROM GOD,..HES called and called the MEN to stand up,THEY SAID WE WILL NOT GO AGAINST OUR HERO’S,and so now the DEATH TOLL IS SET IN STONE,90% of americans will die in the coming war,and NOT one coward will enter heaven,STAND UP NOW YOU MEN or hell will be your future….
“90% of americans will die in the coming war”
that few? I’m encouraged.
I’ve noticed that the apples here in south Texas are old and no longer from fresh crops. The lettuce is spoiling quicker, sun ripen tomato’s are bundled with only 2 to a bag and costs keep going up and up.
I live in Australia and we have had some difficulties. I am told our nation started the toilet paper craze.I was caught short because I decided our stocks needed to be used as they were ageing. We are able to buy whole chickens, some roasts and other meats. Our tinned goods can be iffy some of the time. Our meat, fruit and veg have been affected by drought and busier before all this virus business started. I won’t go into prices because our groceries are expensive but cross “the ditch” and New Zealand prices are heart breaking.
I feel very uncomfortable storing above a certain amount. It was never part of my growing years. I also have great difficulty being ordered and tidy. I just spent 30 minutes looking for our barley as I am making bone broth and a beef and barley meal. This is all made from discounted vegetables and meat. In less lean times the barley would not be there. I have food allergies and am on the FODMAP diet. Certain grains etc are not in my regular diet.
I wish us all well. This situation is a wake up call because I feel as a world we eat too many luxury goods and not enough simpler foods. I also feel that we consume too much energy and our world did benefit from the quieter time.
I’m here in NW Montana,we have 2 grocery stores,,(my daughter works at one) in the nearest town,one has not “recovered” it’s paper or cleaning isle,from the first go around,the other has paper & cleaning supplies,but the prices are crazy high,and a limit of ONE paper product per family per visit,NO EXCEPTIONS….so if you only go town twice a month,you’re just sol. Beef is off the charts,as far as price is concerned,produce is expensive & isn’t high quality. The one thing that caught our attention this past week was the “case sale”,it happens every year,but this year,because I’ve been having issues getting canned veggies for the local food bank (and the ones we can get are about $30.00 a case & from China) . She agreed to pick up about 20 cases for me. While talking to the head stock person she asked if he’d rather we ordered them or just took them from the stock on the floor. He told her,”take them now,because if we order them,it will be at least FOUR WEEKS,IF they can get them in” Needless to say,she grabbed them while she had the chance (and a few extra cases for herself) and came home with a whole different outlook on what I’d been saying!
Shop at WM using the curbside pickup, so haven’t been physically in the store in a couple of months. What I’m finding this week is Out of Stock on natural peanut butter, some frozen vegetables, and, of course, disinfecting wipes. Luckily I’m set on TP, wipes, cleaning supplies. And prices on several items I buy regularly have gone up by 10-15% and I don’t think it’s seasonal.
As it’s the start of our growing season here in SW FL I’ve got my 10 Earthboxes plus 10 large pots planted with a wide variety of Asian greens, lettuces, plus green beans and sugar snap peas. I’m keeping much better records of when planted, when & how much harvested. Have enough seeds to last at least a year. I also do 2 kinds of sprouts each week, have 4 that I rotate plus 3 microgreens I grow in 24oz sour cream containers.
I eat a plant centric diet and use canned tuna, salmon, or chicken a couple times a week. Back to baking my own bread since I finally found yeast. Have also found I need a lot less food than I thought I did. Kids gave me a gift card for birthday and I used it for treat foods I no longer buy – like Cheetos in individual packages.
I think it’s going to be a hard year money wise with food being scarcer and more costly, utilities and taxes going up, jobs scarcer at least in my area and general cabin fever affecting many. It’s a hunker down, make do or do without, prepare for the worst and hope for the best and be thankful you’re a prepper and know how to cope.
(Long post with a list). Around October 7, 2020, in an attempt to figure out what sort of food, beverage, and non-food items might become scarce in my area this Fall and Winter, I read about 2,000 posts submitted between September 28th and October 7th this year by people all around the U.S. responding to a query by Leisa from the “Suttons Daze” YouTube channel asking them to report what actual shortages they were noticing in stores in their respective areas.
A few of them, like Leisa, said that the supply of food, etc., available in their area at that time was pretty normal (those people tended to live in rural or semi-rural parts of less well-populated states). However, the vast majority of those responding reported at least some shortages or scarcities, as well as higher prices, in the stores in their area(s).
Not only did there seem to be differences between the types and amounts of shortages/scarcities noticed in different parts of the U.S. but there were sometimes differences in what shortages/scarcities were noticed in different parts of the same state. For example, someone in the Western portion of a state might report no significant shortages, while someone in the Eastern or Central portion of the same state might report a shortage of baking ingredients and deli meats, etc.
Quite a few of the responders, in many different areas of the U.S., remarked that they noticed “facing” being done in their local stores in such a way as to make it seem the shelves were less empty than they actually were. Apparently “facing” is a long-established, very common marketing technique. I had not heard of it before and was interested to learn that: “Facing goes by a number of names – blocking, conditioning, fronting, recovery, straightening and zoning – depending on the store. All of these words have the same purpose: ensuring that the store is ready for customers . . . Facing as a Verb: The act of pulling each product to the front edge of a shelf with the label turned forward . . . By straightening your merchandise, you make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for. They can also compare products easier if they’re in a nice, neat row . . . It also gives the store an appearance of being full of merchandise. There’s a certain psychology to giving the illusion of prosperity and orderliness that does wonders for retail sales. Even if the shelf is not full behind that first row of product, it looks as if it’s fully stocked. Tip: The same can be said for clothing hanging on a rack. If a bar is not full, evenly distribute hangers across it and concentrate a few more toward the front. It gives the illusion that the rack is fuller than it is in reality. ” See: www dot thebalancesmb dot com/what-is-meant-by-facing-in-retail-stores-2890188
Here is the (long) list I made of all the food, beverage, and non-food items the responders mentioned as being in short supply or completely unavailable in their respective areas. Please note that, other than grouping them into rough categories, I did not order them in any particular way. That is, the ones higher on the list are not necessarily the ones that are the most scarce. Also, not every item was in short supply in every area.
You may want to note though that some of the items that appear to be scarce in many areas of the country are: canned pumpkin, canned tomatoes, canned Ro-Tel, canned corn, home canning equipment and supplies, freezers, refrigerators, children’s bicycles, lumber and plywood, beverages in aluminum cans, jarred name-brand Alfredo sauce, jarred/canned spaghetti sauce with meat, Spam, Campbell’s and Progresso soups, Lima beans, powdered milk, cheeses, baking mixes, and all cleaning supplies containing bleach. Unfortunately, toilet tissue has become scarce again in many areas as well.
If any of the items you often use and don’t already have enough of to tide you over for the next several months are on this list, you might want to think about purchasing them soon to have on hand just in case.
Please excuse any typos!
Best wishes, and stay safe everybody 🙂
Zabeth
BAKING and CANNING SUPPLIES:
All-Purpose Flour
Bread Flour
Self-Rising Flour
Sugar
Yeast
Molasses
Salt
Kosher Salt
Canning/Pickling Salt
Spices (Especially Nutmeg)
Biscuit Mix
Cake Mixes
Muffin Mixes
Cookie Mixes
Vital Wheat Gluten
Dough Enhancer
Tapioca
Canning Jars
Canning Lids (a/k/a Flats)
Canning Rings (a/k/a Bands)
Canning Jar Lifter
Canning Funnel
Canning and Pickling Salt
Citric Acid
Pectin
Bottled Lemon Juice (5% acidity)
White Vinegar (5% acidity)
—————
BEANS and LEGUMES:
Lima Beans
Other Dry Beans
—————
BEVERAGES:
Bottled Water
Soft Drinks in cans and smaller bottles (Particularly flavored soft drinks or less popular brands)
Electrolyte Drinks (Such as Pedialyte and Gatorade and Powerade)
Powdered Drink Mixes
Coffee
Coffee Creamer
—————
CANNED/JARRED FOODS:
Canned Pumpkin Puree
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Ro-Tel
Canned Corn (Especially Creamed Corn)
Canned Carrots
Canned Hominy
Jars of name-brand Alfredo Sauce
Jars/Cans of Spaghetti Sauce with Meat
Chef Boyardee Spag. & Meatballs
Chef Boyardee Ravioli
Canned Soups (Particularly Campbell’s and Progresso brands)
Cream of Soups
Canned Meats
Canned Corned Beef Hash
Canned Fish
Canned Fruits
Canned Tamales
Canned Chili
Spam
Canned Asparagus
Canned Pet Food
—————
CONDIMENTS and SEASONINGS:
Onion Powder
Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix Packets
Pickling Spice Mix
All varieties of Dried Herbs & Spices (Especially Paprika)
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Bottled Lime Juice
—————
DAIRY PRODUCTS and DAIRY SUBSTITUTES:
Powdered Milk
Retort (UHT) Packaged Milk
Evaporated Milk
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Almond Milk
Eggs (Getting more scarce and expensive in some areas)
Cheeses
Jarred/Canned Cheeses and Cheese Sauces
Butter
—————
FROZEN FOODS:
Frozen Fruit
Frozen Potatoes
Frozen Tater Tots
Frozen French Fries
Frozen Home Fries (Cubes)
Frozen Potatoes O’Brien
Frozen Peas
Frozen Broccoli
Frozen Spinach
Frozen Taquitos
—————
GRAINS and GRAIN PRODUCTS:
Cornmeal
Oatmeal
Pearl Barley
—————
PANTRY STAPLES:
Rice
Dry Pasta Noodles
White Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Cooking Oils (Especially Avocado Oil)
Ramen Noodles
Stovetop Stuffing
Boxed Mac and Cheese
Beef and Chicken Soup Base
Gravy Mixes
—————
PRODUCE:
Cucumbers
Fresh Garlic
Bananas
—————
PROTEINS:
Beef (Prices going up a lot in many areas. Some shortages seen.)
Other Fresh Meats and Poultry
Fresh Fish
Bacon
Deli Meats
Sausage
Pepperoni
Salami
—————
SNACKS and CANDY:
Goldfish Crackers
Nabisco Saltines
Triscuits
Black Licorice
Payday Candy Bars
M&Ms (In large bags)
Nuts
Sunflower Seeds
—————
NON-FOOD ITEMS:
Pet Treats
Bird Seed
Vitamins
OTC Medicines esp. Pain Relievers
Some Rx Medicines
Witch Hazel
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
Butane Canisters
Propane Canisters
Batteries
Toilet Tissue
Paper Towels
Kleenex
Vacuum Cleaner Bags
Dishwashing Liquid
Dishwashing Gloves
Dow Scrubbing Bubbles
Laundry Soap
Hand Soap
Oven Cleaner
Pine Sol
Lysol
Bleach
Washing Soda
Fells Naptha
Borax
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Parchment Paper
Plastic Wrap
Zip-Loc Bags
Disinfectant Spray
Disinfectant Wipes
Bandaids
Lidocaine Spray
Rubbing Alcohol
Alcohol Prep Wipes
Hydrogen Peroxide
Aloe Vera
Nitrile Gloves
Toilet Paper
QTips
Baby Wipes
Diapers
Wash Rags
Towels
Paper Plates
Paper Bowls
Plastic Cups
Plastic Utensils
Goal Zero Power Banks
Goal Zero Guardian Charge Controller for Solar Panels
Oxygen Absorbers
5-Gallon Food Safe Buckets with Lids
Gamma2 Seal Lids for 5-6 Gallon Food Safe Buckets
Mylar Bags
Jar Accessories for Vacuum Sealers
Quilting Thread
Sewing Thread
Fabric
Elastic for DIY Masks
Freezers
Refrigerators
Washers
Dryers
Air Conditioners
Toasters
Hot Water Tanks
Printers
Printer Ink
Plastic Storage Totes
Plastic Housewares
Garbage Cans
Gas Cans
Tarps
Lumber
Plywood
Bicycles
Exercise Bikes
Kid’s Sporting Goods
Roller Blades
Nintendo Switch
Games
Pool Supplies
Metal Fencing
School Supplies
Lamp Oil
Hurricane Lamps
Water Filters (Camping)
Furniture
Bathroom Scales
Garden Seeds
Potting Soil
Garden Wire
Garden Tillers
Clothesline
Socks
Underwear
Boots
Kitty Litter
Pellets for Pellet Stoves
Mouse Traps
Live Animal Traps
Fishing Supplies
Locks
Firearms
Ammunition
Thank you – that’s a fantastic list!
You’re very welcome. I was rather shocked to see the wide variety of items becoming scarce now! Canned goods, rice, and dried beans I expected – but I didn’t think plastic houseware items, undies, and children’s bikes (for example) would be in short supply. I guess they’re imported from overseas 🙁
I shop at Aldi’s,Lidls and Food Lion in SC
The shortages I’ve seen
Rice,canned vegetables, paper products,
Fresh vegetables and fruits,meats,cheeses,milk ..those are in stock.
The tomato’s,bell peppers,zuchinni,corn come from NC
The Chicago area seems to be one of the last areas affected by the shortages. In the spring, stores were well stocked with everything, until the panic buying of toilet paper. The only thing that’s always been hard to come by since then is the disinfectant wipes – I’ve seen them stocked in grocery/drug stores 3 times, and only for a day or three. I noticed the wipes that are in stock now, are anti-bacterial – doesn’t say anything about anti-virus on them, so I don’t bother.
There are a few items which are currently empty on the shelves, but prices have started rising again during this month, especially at Aldi. If I needed to stock up on essentials & canned food, right now, I wouldn’t have that problem.
Went to the store today – am in AZ. I’m noticing TP shortages especially with the big packs, though didn’t see rationing on them yet. Dry goods especially dried soups, canned foods etc starting to look thin. Spam is very short. Beef as expected is low quality and expensive. At my neighborhood Albertsons in a halfway good part of town, chicken breast is still plentiful, oddly enough. Pet food is good. Some produce is harder to find. Apples look good but are mealy and poor quality.
Last time we had shortages I noticed my neighborhood was hit less hard, the poorer areas of town were pretty bad off. So if you have cash it might be a good idea to start making some purchases from restaurant supply stores. Sometimes their shortages are different.
Shortages in various products, including specific foods, seem to be location-driven. I’m on the Eastern Seaboard… kinda… and our shelves are full. Some specific brands may be gone on any particular day but I think thats due more to popularity than supply shortage. Lots of beef, pork, chicken. Fresh fruits, vegetables in abundance. I just spent a week in coastal North Carolina and saw no shortages there, either. Most of the vegetables around here come up out of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina when ours are out of season. Prices do fluctuate, but they always have.
Stop letting this website drive you crazy for its own profit. Take a deep breath and make a pot of tea.
Americans… so used to have everything of everything, fresh and top quality and in all varieties, at the time and for so little money.
Now you’re talking about food shortage but people in US have no idea what food shortage really is. Not the last two generations for sure. And not even the poor. Right now it’s food insecurity at the most, there are no shortages yet. Yeah the food lines are growing, But there’s still food. No hunger (next stage), and no starvation (final stage). Not in US or Europe.
And sure if you prepp and stockpile you think it’s fine. Maybe for the short term. But wait till it reaches a tipping point. No one is safe esp. in big cities. Even pets become snack when things get really ugly. Look at Venezuela.
We’re far from that. Or are we. Living in a 3rd world country and seen what I’ve seen/lived what I’ve lived I can only wonder the level of panic and upheaval it will be if even half of the 10.390 varieties of everything from lettuce to pasta and all 2.620 flavors or iced tea and Coke suddenly stop being available in US. I guess there will be riots way before real hunger strikes, or when comfort food becomes scant.
I hope it does not come true but things are not looking very good for the future. It’s been only 9 months into this pandemic/economic crash and here we are discussing food shortage. Too many people, too little resources. People will eat the rich I guess?
Don’t count on farmers. Those who produce for a living will turn to their own subsistence if “living” (i.e. working for a pay) is not an option anymore. Producing is absurdly labor and money intensive. Too big risks and too little return. It is too damn hard, no one will do it if there’s a risk of losing everything in this crazy and unstable environment.
Being prepared is only half the equation. Get used now to a lower caloric diet as well because that’s what happens when SHTF. Get rid of comfort food. Otherwise you may run through your stockpile faster than expected, even if you ration. You can’t control other people, even your family when it comes to hunger. They will cry and beg and you will open the lid. It’s not bad, not right nor wrong. It’s just a human thing. Trust me on this.
“I guess there will be riots way before real hunger strikes”
hard to riot on 1200 calories a day.
Desperation, my friend. You’d be surprised at how much people can do with 1200 calories a day. Especially when they’re panicking and losing it. BTW, that’s exactly the effect of sudden, early starvation: deep mood and behavior alterations.
Anyway my point is that the baseline for perhaps the majority of U.S. population is different. Because they’re used to height levels of comfort and service, and also to standing up for their lifestyle.
That of course in comparison to other less developed countries. When this happens to other populations more used to food shortages and hunger, people take longer to crack because the standard of living is way lower and they’re used to living with a lot less.
“Have you seen any difference in the quantity or quality of these foods at your local stores?”
nope. shelves are full all over town. even the foreign foods – german bread, english curd, and all the seaweed you can eat.
‘cept toilet paper, that entire row is STILL half empty.
Out of Curiosity, Mr. Wheeler… help me understand what an alleged pandemic is exactly?
A world wide pandemic has been declared. Absolutely NO ONE alleges that a pandemic has been declared.