Could There Be Another Toilet Paper Shortage?

The year 2020 presented many challenges...and that may be the understatement of a lifetime. In fact, the frustrations precipitated by Covid-19 continue with no end in sight. One of the more interesting predicaments caused by coronavirus, was the toilet paper shortage. People wiped the shelves of all t.p., even the transparent, you've got to fold it over 12 times to make it work, stuff. A few months into the pandemic, the manufacturers finally caught up with the demand...or the hoarders stopped hoarding...and there's been no real issue as of late. That might be about to change. A little mishap in Egypt has disrupted the supply chain for the entire world.

Reports have recently come out warning of another wave of shortages due to major problems with international shipping. One of those major problems was stuck in the Suez Canal for 6 days. If you haven't heard, a giant cargo vessel named the Ever Given (maybe they should add an 'N' to the first name) got wedged in the single lane section of the canal, backing up hundreds of other ships and their cargoes. This route handles about 12% of the world's trade. Tugboats and high tides helped to free the Ever Given, but shipping experts estimate it could take up to a week to clear the logjam of ships. Obviously, this will slow goods from getting to their intended destinations.

Another issue causing problems, is the shortage of shipping containers manufactured for the cargo transport industry. When Covid quarantines began, many of the factories in China responsible for making shipping containers, shuttered their doors. When the trade market started to bounce back in the latter half of 2020, these Chinese manufacturers weren't ready to handle the demand. Because of the limited supply of cargo containers, producers of goods of all types are having difficulty getting products to the general public. Market analysts believe the products to be most affected are: toilet paper, furniture, cheese, and coffee. For those who are coffee drinkers, forecasters believe shortages will be limited to instant coffee. Concerning furniture, Lazy-Boy estimates that people ordering new furniture now, may have to wait up to nine months for delivery. But the real issues may be in the grocery and big box stores. Don't be surprised to see grocers once again posting signs limiting purchases based upon items that are in short supply. And why do they have to post signs? If the first round of hoarding was any indication, limits have to be established. Some folks were rolling out two and three grocery carts of Angel Soft, believing they were about to embark on a journey down the Oregon Trail.

But here's what I really don't understand. People cleared the shelves of toilet paper, but food supplies (at least in my area) remained plentiful. Maybe I don't understand the real reason people buy two-ply Charmin. Maybe they feared the inability of throwing rolls on Halloween or wrapping an enemy's car? If people aren't hoarding food, why hoard toilet paper? I mean isn't there a cause and effect here? We wipe because we eat... At least that's been my understanding.

I'm not presenting this story to trigger panic and a rush on the toilet paper aisle...just to inform. If you see shelves emptying, keep in mind retailers are doing their best. They can't help it that some ship operator got his boat stuck in the Suez Canal. Interestingly enough, this is the first time in the Canal's 150 year history that something like this has happened. It seems the last year has presented a lot of firsts... Don't let another shortage flush your future hopes and dreams. Hopefully soon, we'll be able to wipe the memory of the last few months away.