Pandemic supply chain in your area

[scout24]

Local butchers here that do cows, pigs, etc. are U.S.D.A. inspected. So there's that. The gentleman who processes my deer is not. He's set up to deal with a 200lb animal that has already met it's maker. Most of the cows processed up here are 5-10 times that size, and are still breathing when brought in for processing, so there's more involved...

 

[turbodog]

Yup. Usually take in at around the 1000-1200 lb range. Get back 60% of that.

Deer... I can do myself with a tree and some rope. Been many years though.

 

[Poppy]

I went into a Home Depot today for shades, and they had a couple of pallets of paper towels. I picked up a package of 12=24. Later I went to a local supermarket, and again their shelves were barren of paper towels, except for some 6 packs of off brand products. I picked up a 6 pack.

There were more holes in the frozen food section, than a couple of days ago.

Fresh fruits and veggies were in abundance.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

When the pandemic first hit, it was hard to find toilet paper and hand sanitizer but easy to find Clorox and Lysol wipes. Now it's easy to find toilet paper and hand sanitizer around here but no Lysol or Clorox wipes.

 

[bykfixer]

Grocery store had chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bars today. Yay.
First time since late June.

Mrs Fixer prefers ice cream bars. I prefer ice cream sandwiches so by having ice cream bars I will avoid over indulging.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Grocery store had chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bars today. Yay.
First time since late June.

Mrs Fixer prefers ice cream bars. I prefer ice cream sandwiches so by having ice cream bars I will avoid over indulging.

I buy them at Aldi's here, they haven't been too much harder to find than normal since the virus showed up but the cost is up 25% over last year as it other products like Ramen noodles.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

I made a valiant attempt to purchase a new dishwasher last week. :shakehead All the big-box stores and the three largest independent appliance stores were sold out and not expecting new stock for at least a month.

 

[bykfixer]

Perhaps that explains the shortage of dishwasher powder? At least in my area anyway. I have not shopped for a new washer (knocking on wood) but have noticed dish powder missing from store shelves since the great big toilet paper shortage.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

There is all sorts of stuff that is running out and they are having a hard time replacing. Dishwasher soap is a logical thing to run out of in stores as the need for it has probably more than doubled as few people are eating out and some are still not employed so a lot of home time and home meals with it hence the need to wash a LOT more dishes. Dishwashers are probably low in stock or out for similar reasons people that ate out most of the time are now stuck at home and either their current washer died on them or they are tired of washing them by hand.

 

[idleprocess]

Limited menus and ingredient substitution have been a thing at area restaurants since April.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Costco is still out of bags of beans and canned corn. Only name brand canned green beans available. Cheese has skyrocketed in price (near $18 for 5 lbs. of shreaded and over $7 for a block). Walmart had no sliced new potatoes. Some stores are spacing out aisles wider so people don't notice their lack of product (especially the "nonessential stores that could be closed again at any time). Some stores aren't restocking for fear of more closures. A certain trucking company is now refusing to ship to certain cities, so we don't just have more factories shut down, but less distribution capacity available. Our town is holding a town hall meeting this week at a gym forced to shut down (the owner is facing fines and possible jail time for trying to stay open) to discuss what to do about the closures and how it's destroying the town. Things are not looking good.

 

[scout24]

There are still a LOT of empty spots on the shelves here. Where those holes are seems to change slightly week by week, but as was said a lot of product gets spread out and the shelves "fronted" so it looks like they're full. TP is in stock, but maybe brands you haven't heard of. Paper towels are tough to come by. Bleach, dish soap both machine and for hand washing are spotty at best. I really think we've just grown accustomed to the lack of choices and quantities we were used to.

 

[turbodog]

How is it that in central MS the only thing we are out of is name brand Purell and canned Fanta??? All else is in abundant supply.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

How is it that in central MS the only thing we are out of is name brand Purell and canned Fanta??? All else is in abundant supply.

Not sure... could be those who are having issues are farther away from manufacturing and also have other issues that make it take longer to deliver goods (like riots and policing issues). I know around here shelves restock quickly on some stuff slower on other stuff I think overall the virus is still reducing manufacturing efficiency considerably with distancing, masks, and checks on employees hitting some plants not designed for such considerations to struggle to reduce virus transmission.

 

[Poppy]

I went to Costco this morning They had a sign at the front door.
Out of Stock:
Paper towels
Clorox wipes
Lysol wipes.

So... I got water, TP and wine.

I haven't seen Clorox wipes or Lysol wipes since March.

 

[scout24]

Today's trip to the grocery store what stood out was canned veggies. If you walk by on your way to get something else, all looks well. Until you see it's one or two cans deep, and one entire shelf is canned corn. No canned carrots, peas, or potatos. Beans and beets in stock, but again spread out to look like a lot more than what was really there.

 

[Poppy]

Interesting. Has it been that way, or is this something relatively new?
Since this all began, fresh veggies have been available, but with the winter months, will this change?

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Canned veggies have been in short supply for months. Grab them when you see them. It's going to be an interesting Thanksgiving this year with the food shortages, travel restrictions, and bans on gatherings in many areas. Black Friday will likely be nonexistent or online only. Too many stores going under and nobody has money to spend. Even if everything opened up today, and people got jobs quickly, too many are already in debt up to their eyeballs to have much to spend for anything nonessential this year. I hope that changes. Another stimulus check would help. Kmart is closing and Fry's Electronics has been bare for a year. Small business owners can't operate long with reduced capacities and shutdowns at any time. A lot of business owners are retiring early and moving somewhere more affordable. People are abandoning some of the larger cities as essential services are breaking down and natural disasters are straining resources further. Many want to be in less populated areas away from corona virus hotspots, where they have fewer restrictions, more resources, and better protection. I don't see that trend changing anytime soon with a pandemic and bankrupt cities falling apart.

 

[scout24]

It's been that way here for months with canned, fresh are available but variety isn't always what it was. What's most unfortunate is we've had two of our favorite local restaurants close this summer. This during the busy "tourist" season.

 

[markr6]

Most of the seltzer water is wiped out which is strange. La Croix, Bubly, store brand, everything. I was at two stores but not going to drive around just to save a couple dollars.