I have been noticing that the store shelves are not stocked out. There will be perhaps two rows of cans and then empty space behind. I have also noticed that one of the big warehouse clubs is not having the regular stuff at all. When stopped by the door monitor on my way out last time she ask if I had found everything. I told her no that several things were missing. Her respnces was “We have a lot of people tell us that lately”. Also several of the mega companies are shutting down stores all over the world. I haven’t quite figured out about the half empty shelves yet, the stores are being closed because of no buisness. The economy if doing well, most likely not.
I haven't noticed in my area. Though I know the local Walmart goes through periods of being low on stock. At times their soup aisle is almost bare and they have little in the deli.
Our 2 main stores for food are Costco and Sam's. We haven't noticed any shortages. We shop at Ingles also. Ingles sells a lot of local food. Our meat, poultry, eggs. milk and a lot of vegetables are grown locally. We also read the labels and advise you to do the same.
Some areas of the country receive shipments more quickly, and buying trends based on weather can take a toll on stocks. Your specific location may not have ordered as much based on sales, too. HK mentioned "JIT", which I believe would be "just in time" manufacturing. No sense in stocking a ton of goods which won't sell in time.
I’ve been preparing for years and I think the big fall of society is around the corner so I urge you to start stocking up now if you haven't already and look for old hand operated tools. get a wood stove and saws and axe’s start to. canning your garden all the old stuff I grew up with -seek out old people and learn from them as they have a wealth of knowledge
JIT (Just In Time) delivery is the modern mantra for the cost-conscious businessman. After all, the longer stock sits on the shelf the more money is tied up in an economic Limbo where it doesn't earn interest or provide the capital needed to fund lifestyle improvements and boardroom bonuses. It a lot like doing a spinning-plate routine on a high wire without a net. All it takes is one small mistake to stop the show. And break a lot of plates. JIT delivery presumes that optimum conditions will always prevail, but Life isn't like that. Blizzards, strikes, wars, the grounding of a fleet of aircraft, the closure of a harbor for any reason, or even a couple of train wrecks at strategic intersections could turn "Just in Time" delivery into "Just Isn't There" delivery. And if the Grid went down, that would be the biggest plate-spinning smashup of all. The odds are that small supply failures will happen more frequently than catastrophic ones, but the odds also mandate that both kinds must and will happen, eventually. It's a statistical certainty. The only question is "When?". All over the world, there are places where JIT delivery has failed. Places like Greece and the Ukraine, and many more that don't even rate a skinny paragraph on page fourteen. Everybody's else's problems become your problem when it's your refrigerator that's suddenly standing empty. And, right now, global shipping has fallen to 10% of the norm. And that means a lot of JIT failures in a lot of places. So make sure your preps aren't scheduled for JIT. It's better to be twenty years too early than two seconds too late.
I've been noticing less variety and quantities on the shelves, but I am pretty sure it's more about simple bottom-line economics than shortage of supply.
I have noticed that also Chimo less variety and quantities on the shelves, Winco is where i purchase BULK supplies , and some treats as in Canned Bushes beans , but the selection has dropped to a few types . The hy-top or store brand is same size & can markings but they are 3/4 full . I have since found a way better source for bush's chili beans on larger cans. They still have Contents are 16oz /size etc while other cans state 16oz & that's the can . Sloth
