Will Supermarket Shelves Be Empty Again this Winter? Here’s What We Know.
As the second wave of COVID-19 builds, this could lead to another shortage at grocery stores and other retail locations. This shortage, however, could be worse than just a lack of toilet paper and sanitation supplies. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that grocery stores were “stockpiling and building pandemic pallets” ahead of what could be a long winter and a challenging holiday season.
Panic Buying Leads to a Weakened Food Industry
As parts of the country are opening up, Americans are increasingly feeling less worried this fall than they were earlier this year. However, there has been a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in major cities, and grocers are still dealing with product shortages. With most Americans staying in and eating at home this year, this has put a burden on grocers to meet the demand. If people were to panic buy again, this could lead to even more empty shelves.
Shortages on paper products and cleaning supplies are often selling out as soon as they are placed on the shelves. Clorox, makers of almost half of disinfectant wipes in the U.S., say their shortages will continue well into 2021. Grocers are stocking up to 20% more than they usually would, in preparation for another wave of COVID-19 cases as well as an uncertain holiday season. Campbell’s soup brand is producing more soup and crackers than they normally would: ten to fifteen percent more, in fact.
No End in Sight to Food Supply Chain is Still Problems
We recently reported how the misaligned food supply and demand for products were causing food shortages in grocery stores, with farmers forced to leave crops to rot. What used to be as many as 6 million farms in the 1900s is now down to 2 million - with a handful of corporations controlling the majority of the food supply. This problem existed long before the COVID-19 outbreak, but the pandemic exposed the issue and brought it to the forefront of everyone’s consciousness.
Get Prepared and Stay Prepared
There is no predicting the future, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. As more people wear necessary masks and observe social distancing protocols, expert predictions could end up playing out differently. If you are lacking in your emergency food and water supply, stock up on essential items before the holiday season. There has never been a better time to learn essential food storage skills so you don’t have to rely as much on what’s on grocery store shelves.
Emergency Food from More Prepared
Getting and staying prepared with enough food and water for you and your family to survive an emergency can be tricky - especially when there are grocery store shortages. With an emergency food and water supply from More Prepared, you can rest assured that you’ll be covered. Our prepackaged meal kits have a shelf life of five years or more and are packed with the nutrition you need to survive an emergency. Take the guesswork out of your emergency food supply. Order a meal kit from More Prepared today.
