For several weeks now, supply bottlenecks on the electronics market and in industry, a rising labor shortage and the consequences of the pandemic have been creating problems for the global economy. This overview shows you what may no longer be available in the near future.
In Germany, many different goods have become increasingly scarce in the last few weeks. Some consumers are already worried about a yawning emptiness under the Christmas tree. From sneakers to cell phones to books. Almost all industries are currently experiencing a shortage. There are several reasons for this phenomenon.
The derivation most discussed so far is bottlenecks in individual materials in production. According to a survey by the Munich Ifo Institute, three out of four manufacturing companies are currently affected by these bottlenecks. This applies not only to microchips, which are built into computers and smartphones in electrical engineering, but also to more rudimentary components such as missing screws in mechanical engineering.
Corona pandemic leads to delivery bottlenecks
The main reason for the current shortage, however, is the effects of the corona pandemic and the interim closings of individual plants and plants. As quickly as production and logistics capacities were shut down worldwide last year, demand rose again in the past few months. The state aid and economic stimulus programs led to the immense financial hardship of many citizens: inside.
At the moment there is a shortage of ships and vans, as well as of the personnel who bring the goods from one place to another. Most of the global shipping traffic is even at a standstill. China’s port terminals are completely closed at short notice in the event of corona outbreaks, important British ports are no longer served because truck drivers are missing inside to transport the goods and in Hamburg there are several weeks of delays. All of this leads to freight rates that are so expensive that it is hardly worthwhile to send goods. There is also a widespread shortage of qualified transport workers. A large number of them have looked for a more reliable job in the corona pandemic.
Most economic experts assume that the situation will ease in the coming year, but at the UN General Assembly recently, international business organizations warned of a collapse in global supply chains.
This overview shows you which groceries and everyday goods could become scarce in the next few months:
Home appliances
Not only electronics manufacturers are affected by the shortage of microchips. The deficiency is also noticeable in household appliances. In addition to semiconductors, important metals and plastics are also becoming increasingly scarce. Customers already have to wait several months for a new dishwasher. The industry giants Miele and Bosch have already had to pause production in recent weeks and are expecting additional interruptions over the autumn and winter.
Bathrooms and furniture
They were the big winners in lockdown: Not only were DIY stores allowed to keep their doors open in times of strict contact restrictions, many also use the time at home for extensive renovations. According to the ifo institute, 99 percent of all hardware stores and furniture stores now suffer from delivery problems. The reasons are the increased demand in almost all areas and high wood prices. According to the Main Association of the German Construction Industry, the current price in September was 137 percent above the previous year.
The popular furniture store Ikea has now chartered ships and bought containers to defy the developments. But here too, a number of products are currently only available to a limited extent. In addition to wood, there is a lack of upholstery foam, fabrics, fittings and packaging.
Sneaker
The current shortage of sneakers can only partly be explained by the usual factors. Behind the lack of the coveted sneakers from Nike, New Balance and Adidas is the delta version of the corona virus that is currently spreading in South Vietnam. Most of the common brands are made there. Due to the low vaccination rate, the Vietnamese government shut down large factories for a short time. Adidas has now relocated production to other countries at short notice. It remains to be seen whether this is a sustainable solution. What is certain: All manufacturers assume that they will be able to deliver the next collections later or not at all.
Cycles
In the corona pandemic, the demand for bicycles went through the roof. E-bikes in particular were in great demand with many people. In the future, however, cyclists should be particularly careful with their models. Due to the lack of raw materials, there are extremely long delays in the supply chains of spare parts such as frames or brakes. Associations assume that the situation could improve again in 2023 at the earliest.
Smartphones and computers
Apple recently introduced the new models of its iPhone and a new line of MacBooks. Apple fans still have to be patient. If you are currently looking for a new cell phone, you will have to wait at least a month in most cases. High demand and a lack of microchips are the reasons for the bottlenecks. These also affect the gaming industry. Both Sony’s Playstation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X will not be available for delivery in the next few weeks. Retailers such as Media Markt and Saturn expect fewer choices on the shelves in the coming months.
Fashion
Delayed delivery times are also currently occurring in the fashion industry. According to a joint survey by the textile, shoe and leather goods trade associations, only five percent of the companies do not have any failures in autumn or winter goods. The Swedish chain H&M reported delivery bottlenecks at the end of September. Delays are to be expected for the entire current quarter.
The brands Abercrombie & Fitch, Boohoo and Online-Markt Asos are also reporting delivery problems and high raw material prices. The German discounter Aldi Nord had to postpone the start of sales of its latest fashion collection. The reason for this are the state restrictions to contain a spreading corona wave in Vietnam. Should this continue, significantly more brands could soon be affected – because big brands such as Ralph Lauren, North Face and Zara also produce here.
Toys
A lot of plastic is required for the production of Lego bricks, Playmobil figures and model trains. Rubber, wood and microchips are also used in parts for the manufacture. The problem: All of these parts are hard to come by right now. Compared to the television station n-tv, the managing director of the German Association of the Toy Industry, Ulrich Brobeil, recently predicted a difficult Christmas business.
paper
Pulp is an essential part of paper production. It’s hard to come by right now. The cost of transportation has skyrocketed. In addition, the wood from which the pulp is extracted is currently scarce. The Chinese market in particular is overloading business. The result is massive delays. In addition, there has been less recycled waste paper since the pandemic. So if you want to give away a book for Christmas, you should hurry up. New publications could be delayed due to the current situation and reprints already have long delivery times.
cars
The lack of chips is also a problem for Volkswagen. The German carmaker is threatened with the weakest production in over 60 years at its Wolfsburg plant. The largest Volkswagen plant has to close parts of its production. Microchips are missing for the production of windshield wipers, central locking and the entertainment system. In order to cover part of the demand itself, Volkswagen now wants to participate in the chip development itself. Due to the current situation, the bottlenecks will probably drag on until next year.
Food
These pictures from the first corona lockdown are not remembered with fondness: Empty supermarket shelves and a devastating shortage of pasta and toilet paper. Due to poor wheat harvests in Canada, there could be another shortage of durum wheat products in the next few weeks. A limited supply and significant price increases are to be expected.
Some shortages of shampoo and toothpaste could also soon arise. During the flood disaster in summer, some warehouses were flooded, which is still having an impact on the market as it is extremely difficult to find supplies.
See in the video: The Federal Association of Freight Transport, Logistics and Waste Disposal warns of a deterioration in the supply situation like in England.