As the world emerges from the height of the pandemic, they have started to get back to work. A strain is beginning to happen to our supply chain and some may have noticed shortages of things that are usually in abundance.

The strain is due to the world suddenly going from having a surplus of items that could not be shipped anywhere, to having a great need for certain items that suddenly did not have the shipping capability to get them around the world.

According to AARP items that have been impacted the most include the following:

1. Chicken

2. Consumer electronics

3. Cars

4. Clothing and apparel

5. Pet food

But we have seen problems like this happen before. The great toilet paper shortage of 2020 showed us what can happen when Americans panic buy items and put strain on the supply chain.

Consumers were unable to find toilet paper in stores and left many who lived through the experience very confused.

As people had an abundance of toilet paper many had to find alternatives to toilet paper through Amazon and third-party distributers.

Thankfully in 2020, the main product shortage was just toilet paper, and not things like food or water. And experts claim that this should continue to be that case as long as Americans do not panic.

Americans need to heed the advice of experts, do not hoard and stockpile everything that could potentially hear there may be a shortage of something.

Behavior like this can actually lead to shortages happening when they do not have to. And it’s probably why we could not find any toilet paper for a couple months back in 2020.

Shortages can be hard, especially in a place like the United States where we are used to always having what we need.

But if we remain calm, and do not panic buy and hoard, and leave enough on the shelves for our neighbors, we can and will get through it.