The Covid-19 pandemic has been wreaking havoc on supply chains around the world and Americans are about to feel the effects– if they haven’t already. Here are four items that are expected to face supply issues by the end of 2021:
Cars
Anyone who has tried to buy a car this year is painfully aware of the supply issues the automobile industry is facing. The demand for cars is much higher than the supply available to dealers and it is causing car prices to skyrocket. This can be attributed to several different factors. Covid-19 caused widespread factory closures at the beginning of the pandemic to protect factory workers. While this was a necessary step, it greatly impacted the number of vehicles being produced. Once factories re-opened and were back in production they were faced with supply-chain disruptions that have continued to cause serious delays.
Coffee
If you think your morning cup of joe has become more of a splurge lately, that is because it has. Coffee prices reached a four and a half year high last month and there is no sign of the price going down. So, what is raising the price of your brew? Supply shortages, climate, and distribution issues. Two of the biggest coffee-producing countries have experience climate related delays this year. Columbia experienced record-breaking draught this year. Brazil also experienced untimely frost which damaged coffee bean crops. Coffee producing countries have also been dealing with bouts of political unrest and widespread protest, which is greatly slowed the rate at which coffee is being shipped out of the country. While many coffee chains enter contracts with their producers that keep prices stable for several months, those contracts end and must be re-negotiated. As more suppliers reach the end of their contracts, consumers may see a significant hike in the price of coffee beans.
Computer Chips
Computer chips, or semi-conductors, run almost everything on our lives. Cellphones, computers, cars, tablets… the list goes on. There was a global shortage of computer chips even before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, but the shortage has now been exacerbated to the point of consumers becoming effected. The reason for the shortages is the same as many other products that have fallen prey to the pandemic. Demand increased dramatically as the world moved to a remote work environment and electronics became even more important. Factory shutdowns due to Covid sent production into a standstill for much longer than anyone expects. Lastly, ports around the world shut down and there has been a massive bottle neck of supply distribution since reopening. Consumers may find that they are unable to find certain products in the coming months and find themselves experiencing sticker shock when it comes to the price of products that are available.
School Supplies
With back-to-school just behind us, parents found challenges securing all of the needs of their little ones. Products such as backpacks, pencils, sneakers, and laptops are falling victim to supply, and distribution issues caused by the pandemic. While most shoppers were be able to find the items they needed in time for the first day of school, they probably found prices increased since last year. A survey done by the National Retail Federation found that families can expect to spend upward of $850 on school supplies this year. This could cause financial strain on families who did not plan for these inflated prices.
Americans should prepare for the rising prices and lack of availability for many items in the coming months. Families should be taking inflating prices into account when creating budgets. If you find yourself struggling to accommodate rising prices, Guarantee Loan may be able to help. Personal loans can help lessen the financial blow and get you the supplies you need for the coming school year and beyond. Give us a call today!