Tampon shortages, sriacha shortages...

[conuly]

Is this just the new normal? Do we need to just concede now that life is going to be one unending wave of rolling shortages, forever? (And if that's the case, when is the guns and ammo shortage scheduled?)

Comments

[sallymn]

There are shortages of all sorts here too - plus the recent floods and weird weather means fresh vegetables are hard to get, poor in quality and cost the earth :(

I think it's going to be a while after covid is finally dealt with, in whatever way, before things do get back to what we were used to.

[conuly]

:(

[siliconshaman]

NRA is too powerful a lobby for there to be a guns & ammo shortage.

[hudebnik]

But just think: if there were a guns and ammo shortage, people would line up to buy them, and they'd pay whatever you asked, if you happened to have come across a few to sell. And happened to find a few more the next week.

[melannen]

1. Yes, probably.
2. Possibly the people who run logistics (and the people who give them money) will eventually figure out that they can't actually rely on constant just-in-time global deliveries working, and come up with ways to prevent supply chain issues from showing up on the consumer end (at least for non-perishables.) More likely though, yes. Even if a new, less fragile system starts being used, it won't assume anyone can get exactly what they need whenever they want with zero notice.
3. There have been supply chain problems with guns and ammo, but since the vast majority of Americans who own them never actually *use* them for anything, and since most people buying new guns expect to wait a little to get them anyway, it doesn't actually disrupt anything for anyone but gun shop owners. Unlike, say, tampons.

[sabotabby]

I don't think anything is ever going back to normal.

[fred_mouse]

I feel like 'yes' is the answer to your first question. Mind you, in the last month, we have had shortages of vegan cheese, and hummus. The latter of which is made in state, and so I have no clue what the supply chain issue is (containers? All the other sized containers are fine)

[lilysea]

Mind you, in the last month, we have had shortages of vegan cheese, and hummus. The latter of which is made in state, and so I have no clue what the supply chain issue is (containers? All the other sized containers are fine)

The hummus issue could be an issue with a hummus ingredient made out of state, like a preservative?

[fred_mouse]

Could be. Trying to remember which brand we were buying from the IGA, and whether they had the little tubs (we buy the 1kg tubs)

[ioplokon]

I think for most industries, probably yes. Some will come back onshore (like circuitboard manufacturing) - but it'll be like 5 years probably before that's fully up & running and also going to probably mostly be in industries considered important to national security/competitiveness. Otherwise, we're fully in diseconomies of scale hours. :(

[hudebnik]

So are tampons or sriracha more vital to national security? Inquiring minds....

[conuly]

Well, I say sriracha, but I use reusable menstrual products. Can't reuse your hot sauces!

[gingicat]

Please let's have that last one!

[siderea]

Is this just the new normal?

Yes. I mean: no – it's going to get worse. But basically yes.

And if that's the case, when is the guns and ammo shortage scheduled?

Today's headline news (be careful what you wish for).

[conuly]

I dunno, I just don't see the USA being invaded by a more powerful neighbor anytime soon.

I wonder if we can convince our gun fans to donate some more gear to Ukraine....

[siderea]

I dunno, I just don't see the USA being invaded by a more powerful neighbor anytime soon.

True, when there's invasions on American soil, it will be one part of the US invading another.

[conuly]

Mmm. They already have all the guns, though I do kinda hope we've got all the brains.

[wpadmirer]

Gun and ammo are never short. Well, except for the period when there was a run on guns here in Florida. You literally could not find ammunition or guns. It was weird and scary. If the ammo has been bought up like that, and you have no idea who has it, it's not a good feeling.

[conuly]

Not sure knowing who had it would have made you feel better.

[dragonyphoenix]

It looks like the sriacha sauce shortage comes from a chili pepper shortage due to droughts. I feel as if that could be an unending issue.

[archersangel]

I feel as if that could be an unending issue.

that and flooding in some areas.
in australia flooding in two states has lead to a lettuce shortage. so kfc down there is using a lettuce/cabbage mix on their sandwiches.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/07/business/kfc-australia-cabbage-lettuce-intl-hnk/index.html

[conuly]

:(

[silveradept]

Likely so on the first, since I doubt Our Corporate Overlords will decide to slow down and let their workers come back to full strength and health.

As for the second, never, since there's always going to be someone who wants to wage war, officially or in their own community.

[pwcorgigirl]

In answer to your first question, yes. Second one, very possibly. And I really wish it would be as hard to get guns and ammo as it was to get toilet paper there for a while.

My husband and I have a favorite checkout lady at our local grocery store, and she is always spot-on with her advice. She told us there were going to be supply chain issues and added, "If there's something you use frequently and you see it on the shelves, buy an extra one." She also told us this week that the only way to deal with the increase in food prices was to strictly shop the sales in the ad.

The only upside to supply chain issues is we are suddenly seeing food from local suppliers in the store. This is stuff that used to show up only on plates in the city's farm to table restaurants, so that's pretty cool.

[chez_jae]

There was barely any ice cream at Walmart this evening. Which, first world problem, but it was weird to see empty freezer cases that are normally full. I shrugged it off and bought some cookies instead.