The covid pandemic has caused a lack of labor workers, which is now causing a backup of products in chain stores. Backed up cargo lingers the docks in Los Angeles and Long Beach, unable to be picked up due to the decrease in workers.

Stores like Costco have brought back the limit on toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and bottled water to try to avoid a repeat of mid 2020. This limit comes with infrared prices. Any product in low supply without a buying limit is gaining price boosts.

This issue has yet to see any resolution. While the industries are trying their hardest to hire new workers, training takes time that they don’t have. J. Scott Wilson Ilenana Diaz wrote about this exact issue in their article “Pandemic shortages return: Costco limiting purchases.”

“However, it takes a good deal longer to train a tractor-trailer driver than a pizza cook, and crane operators on cargo ships need much more practice than servers at your local Irish bar. Wage offerings are up, and hiring bonuses are swelling the ranks of applicants, but it will take time to get relief to U.S. store shelves,” said Diaz.

70 bins have been estimated to be delayed at the docks at this moment. Because of this, many workers are recommending buying Christmas gifts and decorations early, in case these delays aren’t fixed in time.

Unlike Costco, online stores cannot limit products, however customers can feel the impact when their items come weeks or even months later than expected.

People believe this can also be due to unemployment funds. After jobs were lost, the government paid these now workless people ten fold of their previous paycheck. This has caused less and less people to try and get their jobs back, relying completely on government funds.

Everyone hopes that this jobless period in time will end soon, but it seems to get less likely everyday. Even if the workers fill in the gaps, consumers are sadly going to have to adjust to these changes until the far future.