If they understood economics, they wouldn’t be socialists. It’s simply amazing to me watching the desperate attempts to cover for the endless string of bad decisions by this corrupt regime and the devastating effects they are having on our Country. MSLSD screams that the Dollar Tree announcing price hikes is nothing more than corporate gouging, other talking heads claim there is no inflation, while some outlets have taken to claiming inflation is good for you and you just need to stop complaining. Note: price increases of as much 25% will go into effect on literally hundreds of grocery items and other consumer goods in Jan. Buy now.
Yes, as Clueless Joe heads off to the basement for his nap, we are told we just need to lower our expectations. Well, if that isn’t strong leadership than I don’t know what is! (sarcasm!) Remember Reagan’s shining city on a hill? My how far we have fallen.
Pet supplies continue to be a problem including dog and cat food, kitty litter, treats and flea prevention. The manager of a local discount grocery stated that when he does get canned dog food in it’s rarely on the shelf for more than a day and that deliveries are increasingly sporadic.
Paper goods continue to be an issue and I’m now noticing that plastic utensils seem to also be in short supply. The owner of a local liquor store and long time friend let me in on something I didn’t know. There is a major shortage of glass containers. Apparently, what is normally a recession proof business is struggling due to a lack of glass containers to bottle and sell their product.
The shortage of pasta and related items seems to be getting worse each week. These pictures were taken in my local Walmart just yesterday (as of this writing.) These issues are NOT isolated to Walmart as I shop various stores in the area, including Kroger, Food Lion, Publix, a local family grocery and several discount grocers and dollar stores and I am finding similar conditions at each. I always use Walmart as the example as they sell more groceries in the US than any other retailer.
Fellow blogger https://extexanwannabee.wordpress.com/ asked the question why domestically produced goods aren’t making it to the market in a timely manner. Great question. The answer is multifaceted but really comes down to people NOT returning to work (and California’s regulatory attack on the trucking industry.) The packaging plants are understaffed, the distribution centers are understaffed, the stores themselves are understaffed and the trucking industry that brings it all to us is currently 80,000 driver short. Note: the head of the American Trucking Associations has stated that if Biden gets his vaccine mandates past the courts then about 37% or roughly 2.5 million drivers will leave the workforce. Talk about starving the peasants into compliance.
It’s long been said that civilization is only 9 meals from chaos, and I think that’s being generous. The unprepared will quickly become dangerous, have a plan, be prepared.
Forget hoping for the best, prepare for the worst, now.
Prepper 365 
The labor issues and COVID shutdowns are part of the story for locally produced goods. As you mentioned there is a shortage of delivery drivers that contributes to it as well. Several local stores have signs on the empty shelves stating the reason is a lack of drivers and giving a (healthy) starting salary and instructions on how to apply. Another big piece of the puzzle you also touched on and that is the packaging. While the aluminum cans may be made in the US the chemical liners of the cans are made overseas. The chemical coating was the limiting factor. One particular product line all but dropped a certain size of their product due to a shortage of screw-tops in that size. Manufacturers of these tops had consolidated production lines to meet increased demand during the height of the COVID lock downs. For food products a lack of government inspectors is also affecting production, it seems an already shorthanded USDA is even more shorthanded after the VAX mandate…
Based on just in time inventory and international supply lines, our food production infrastructure is extremely complex and fairly fragile. Most grocery chains are only prepared for a 20-30% regional, short term disruption in supply and demand…
One thing I find interesting is the regional nature of many shortages. I hear from friends and acquaintances that this or that item is in incredibly short supply or unavailable in their area but I see tons of that on the shelves down here. While at the same time, items out of stock down here are plentiful up there. Other items will be unobtanium for a few months and then the stores are flooded with them.
One last thing not mentioned is automotive parts. Everything from tires to computer chips seem to be in short supply. This is driving the cost of new and used vehicles through the roof. It also makes it tough to keep existing vehicles on the road. My son in law had to buy a new truck because the parts to repair his existing truck were back-ordered for 3-6 months. Insurance companies are quick to total vehicles these days because of the increasing cost of parts and rental cars and the time delays in getting them in. My daughter had to go with different sized replacement tires on her popular make/model/size because those sizes were back-ordered several weeks.
Good luck and God bless.
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All great points, thank you!
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Armed Christian makes a good point in that shortages seem to be localized.
” I hear from friends and acquaintances that this or that item is in incredibly short supply or unavailable in their area but I see tons of that on the shelves down here. While at the same time, items out of stock down here are plentiful up there. ”
I don’t shop Wal Mart stores, but purchase online. One can get free shipping if one spends over $35 at Wal Mart. Fresh foods like meat, produce and the like have to be purchased at the local grocer. Sam’s Club too has free shipping on many items with the proper membership.
Personally, I have not seen empty shelves in the dairy, meat, or produce at my local grocer, as opposed to other items like canned veggies, TP, and personal care items. I limit my trips to the grocery store to once a month, and if I need fresh veggies, I’ll go to my local store instead of making the 40 mile round trip to the big grocery store…
The Kung Flu is still out there, so I also limit my contact with crowded areas to a minimum.
If the truckers shut down, we will really be in trouble with resupplying ourselves.
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We generally shop at our local Aldi’s and so far no problems. Other then prices. I avoid Wally World and such like. Our other 2 local grocery stores are also well stocked. Now in the Mpls/St. Paul metro different story. Plus I seem to have a pantry(s) stuffed to the gills. Wife makes sure of it. I make sure other ‘supplies’ precious metals, are well stocked.
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