ACROSS AMERICA — It’s a sight oddly reminiscent of the coronavirus pandemic’s early days. People in search of items such as cat food, heavy whipping cream, chicken breast and even cream cheese are heading to the grocery only to find shelves empty.
What gives? This time, shortages are being caused by a combination of factors including the fast-spreading omicron coronavirus variant and severe weather. Changing demand and consumer behavior also play a role.
All these factors only exacerbated ongoing supply chain struggles and labor shortages, just as retailers were learning to navigate the realities of shopping during a pandemic.
“All of the players in the supply chain ecosystem have gotten to a point where they have that playbook and they’re able to navigate that baseline level of challenges,” Jessica Dankert, vice president of supply chain at the Retail Industry Leaders Association, told The Associated Press. Right now, however, new complications are compounding that baseline.
- RELATED: U.S. Shoppers Find Some Groceries Scarce Due To Virus, Weather
The omicron variant has also taken a toll on food production lines. Sean Connolly, the president and CEO of Conagra Brands, told investors last week that supplies from the company’s U.S. plants will be constrained for at least the next month due to omicron-related absences, The AP reported.
Aside from the staggering number of employees calling out due to illness, the number of people who quit their jobs surged to 4.5 million in November.
The numbers suggest Americans are increasingly confident they can quit their jobs and find better opportunities elsewhere.
Winter Weather
Some areas of the country are facing shortages due in part to recent winter storms that snarled transportation routes and delayed shipments, according to a National Public Radio report.
Recent storms in Washington state closed major roads and slowed the shipping of food to states such as Alaska. Just after New Year’s Day, winter storms dumped more than a foot of snow across parts of the mid-Atlantic, making road conditions treacherous and travel difficult.
In Virginia, drivers rationed their gasoline and shared snacks and water while trapped on a 50-mile section of Interstate 95 paralyzed for more than 20 hours by a snowstorm. A number of grocery delivery trucks were also caught in delay.
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Changing weather patterns also play a part, according to NPR.
As severe weather events worsen, growers are yielding less corn and soy to feed farm animals. The shortages are affecting the price and availability of meat, eggs, and dairy products, Phil Lempert, editor of the website SupermarketGuru.com, told NPR.
