It’s clear Covid caused shortages of products in the market. But, seriously, can it be true that M&M’s aren’t making it to the shelves?
To find out, we went to Walmart. First, our closest Walmart where we typically pick up many of our basic items. No dice on the M&M’s.
For clarification purposes, this does not mean ALL varieties of the larger bag of M&M’s where out-of-stock. Instead, it was the version I prefer – mini M&M’s. Their unique dark chocolate taste and crunchiness fuel my addiction.
After multiple weeks of my wife checking the shelves, I began to forage another nearby Walmart. Same result.
Then, egads, I went to Costco, and found the regular M&M’s slot empty (typical for Costco, they only carry limited sizes and types of products, so normally they would have had the regular and peanut M&M’s; the peanut version was still in stock; whew). This further demonstrated the supply chain monster hitting us so heavily in the sweet tooth. How will we survive?
At the same time while visiting Costco, it was time to replenish our stock of peanuts. To my knowledge, in the 17+ years of our Costco membership, they have NEVER been out of the peanuts we purchase. Not so last time. They were nowhere to be found. I went back a week later, with the same result.
Peanuts and M&M shortages. What are we to do?
Checking in other supermarkets, it became clear that M&M’s were to be found. The prices were higher, the stores more of the boutique variety, so those of us requiring industrial supplies of sweets and salt had to decide if our addiction was so powerful that we bowed to the demands of the elite supermarkets. So far, my willpower has held, and I have not stooped to the higher prices. But I’m slowly bending.
I found it hard to believe in the shortages without consistently seeing it with my personal eyes. Before the M&M and peanut shortages became apparent in our key shopping stores, another disheartening series of empty shelves had me scrambling. This was for peppermint Tums.
Peppermint is good to help settle the stomach, so when I purchase a bottle of Tums, I prefer that flavor. You can get multiple other fruit flavors, but I prefer to stay away from them.
Several months back, as my bottle dwindled, I began the search for peppermint Tums. Again, both Walmart’s were out. Went to Walgreen’s. Nope.
Checked in another local supermarket – Piggly Wiggly. Empty. All sizes of peppermint were out. Other flavors of Tums were available and, ultimately, I bowed to the need to get one to have in those emergency cases of heartburn. But, it’s not the same.
The peppermint Tums shortage opened my mind to the supply chain debacle of Covid. The mini M&M shortage, combined with the peanut cans out-of-stock at Costco drove home how fortunate we are to only lose these items for which substitutes can easily be found.
Imagine if it was fruit and vegetables. Or, how about gasoline? Or, God forbid, water? There’s the statement around of, “First World problem,” and I think it applies here.
Remember and give thanks for what we have, even with the inconveniences of the past year (and continuing today for some products). We still can substitute for our favorites. That’s enough to get us through.
It’s clear Covid caused shortages of products in the market. But, seriously, can it be true that M&M’s aren’t making it to the shelves?
To find out, we went to Walmart. First, our closest Walmart where we typically pick up many of our basic items. No dice on the M&M’s.
For clarification purposes, this does not mean ALL varieties of the larger bag of M&M’s where out-of-stock. Instead, it was the version I prefer – mini M&M’s. Their unique dark chocolate taste and crunchiness fuel my addiction.
After multiple weeks of my wife checking the shelves, I began to forage another nearby Walmart. Same result.
Then, egads, I went to Costco, and found the regular M&M’s slot empty (typical for Costco, they only carry limited sizes and types of products, so normally they would have had the regular and peanut M&M’s; the peanut version was still in stock; whew). This further demonstrated the supply chain monster hitting us so heavily in the sweet tooth. How will we survive?
At the same time while visiting Costco, it was time to replenish our stock of peanuts. To my knowledge, in the 17+ years of our Costco membership, they have NEVER been out of the peanuts we purchase. Not so last time. They were nowhere to be found. I went back a week later, with the same result.
Peanuts and M&M shortages. What are we to do?
Checking in other supermarkets, it became clear that M&M’s were to be found. The prices were higher, the stores more of the boutique variety, so those of us requiring industrial supplies of sweets and salt had to decide if our addiction was so powerful that we bowed to the demands of the elite supermarkets. So far, my willpower has held, and I have not stooped to the higher prices. But I’m slowly bending.
I found it hard to believe in the shortages without consistently seeing it with my personal eyes. Before the M&M and peanut shortages became apparent in our key shopping stores, another disheartening series of empty shelves had me scrambling. This was for peppermint Tums.
Peppermint is good to help settle the stomach, so when I purchase a bottle of Tums, I prefer that flavor. You can get multiple other fruit flavors, but I prefer to stay away from them.
Several months back, as my bottle dwindled, I began the search for peppermint Tums. Again, both Walmart’s were out. Went to Walgreen’s. Nope.
Checked in another local supermarket – Piggly Wiggly. Empty. All sizes of peppermint were out. Other flavors of Tums were available and, ultimately, I bowed to the need to get one to have in those emergency cases of heartburn. But, it’s not the same.
The peppermint Tums shortage opened my mind to the supply chain debacle of Covid. The mini M&M shortage, combined with the peanut cans out-of-stock at Costco drove home how fortunate we are to only lose these items for which substitutes can easily be found.
Imagine if it was fruit and vegetables. Or, how about gasoline? Or, God forbid, water? There’s the statement around of, “First World problem,” and I think it applies here.
Remember and give thanks for what we have, even with the inconveniences of the past year (and continuing today for some products). We still can substitute for our favorites. That’s enough to get us through.