Amidst the port strike, there's a surge in purchasing toilet paper due to widespread panic.
Social media buzzed with reports of shortages on Tuesday, revealing empty spaces where toilet paper and to some extent, paper towels, should have been present.
One individual from Virginia shared a post on X, displaying an image of empty shelves from their local Walmart, commenting, "They cleaned out the toilet paper at my Walmart in Virginia. Toilet paper hoarding 2.0!"
Another X user in Monmouth County, New Jersey, posted, "Shelves at Costco & Target running low or out of paper towels." They also mentioned witnessing people buying toilet paper and water in response to the port strike, further adding that both Costco and Target were out of stock of toilet paper and paper towels in the morning.
However, the port strike spreading from Maine to Texas will not affect the supply of these products.
Statistics indicate that over 90% of US toilet paper consumption comes from domestic factories, with the remaining percentage sourced from neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico. This means that most of these items are transported via rail or truck, not ships.
Despite the American Forest and Paper Association expressing concerns regarding the potential impact of the strike on its members, the association cited the threat to exports to foreign markets instead of imports. In contrast, the strike could possibly lead to an excess of toilet paper, not a shortage.
Irrespective of this, the fear of a toilet paper shortage triggered a wave of hoarding, fueled by memories of the supply restrictions imposed in 2020 during the pandemic.
Even though there might be some product scarcity due to the port strike, these shortages will mainly affect perishable goods, like bananas.
In the United States, bananas are the most consumed fruit by volume. Approximately 90% of the US supply of bananas originate from imports, with over half of these imports entering through the ports currently undergoing strike as of early Tuesday morning, according to the American Farm Bureau. Over a quarter of these imports travel through just one port in Wilmington, Delaware.
Unfortunately, bananas have a short shelf life. They become unpalatable within two weeks of being harvested and shipped to markets. As shippers weren't able to amass a significant volume before the strike, they could not meet the anticipated demand.
Conversely, toilet paper is highly durable and resistant to decay. Any toilet paper stockpiled now will withstand until the next wave of panic buying, even if that happens years down the line. The current port strike did not significantly impact the supply of this durable good.
Given the current port strike, some businesses may experience temporary disruptions in their supply chains for perishable goods. For instance, the American Farm Bureau has reported that over 90% of the US supply of bananas originates from imports, with a significant portion entering through the ports currently under strike. However, the durability of toilet paper ensures that any stockpiled toilet paper will remain usable, minimizing the impact of the strike on businesses that rely on this product.
