After Disney World’s historic closure and reopening in 2020, we began to see some supply shortages in the parks.
Toilet paper
For example, at one point there was a noodle shortage and we were not able to get our beloved ‘Ohana noodles. We also witnessed a bit of a ketchup crisis in 2021. We also saw merchandise shortages in the parks. During this time, a lot of people were panic buying toilet paper (why is it always toilet paper?). Now, that toilet paper panic buying is BACK and we know why.
If you have been paying attention to the news, you may know that there is a massive port strike happening along the East and Gulf Coasts of America that began earlier this week. It involves the 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association, who have been attempting to negotiate a new contract with the United States Maritime Alliance. This HUGE strike has created fear in some consumers that we’ll be facing shortages again similar to the shortages in 2020, including toilet paper shortages.
Toilet Paper
CNN reports that these fears have created a situation where people are panic-buying toilet paper again. Social media has shown empty toilet paper shelves in stores all over the country. But here’s the thing: these strikes will not affect the toilet paper industry AT ALL.
You don’t need to panic buy toilet paper, people
Most of the toilet paper in the U.S. (around 90%) comes from U.S. factories. What doesn’t come from the U.S. comes from Canada and Mexico, meaning those supplies generally arrive by rail or truck, not ships. So panic-buying toilet paper is pretty much pointless. What folks SHOULD be worried about, though, are imported goods that arrive by ship, although the U.S. has stockpiles of goods right now so that those shortages should not be felt, at least for a while.
French wine could be affected, though
The only real shortage we’ll face during the strike will be with bananas. Almost 100% of the U.S. supply of bananas comes from other countries. And bananas come through some of the ports affected by the strikes. Because bananas have such a short shelf life, they can’t be stockpiled like other goods, so you might notice a lack of bananas the next time you visit the grocery store.
Toilet paper, though? You don’t have to worry about. It’s not moving through these affected ports at all, so you have nothing to worry about. You don’t need to buy 10 packages of Charmin right now and you probably won’t need to in the near future.
Stay tuned to DFB for more.
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It’s like some kind of illness people have! Ridiculous! They run to buy hot dog rolls when a storm is approaching. Always have things on hand so you can eat. Learn to cook! In New York City, it seems like no one cooks at home anymore. Eat out or order in is the norm. So expensive. I save my money to go to Disney World!
That’s why my grocery store was out of TP – bizarre! Thanks for the info. You’re not only the top Disney blog IMO, but you’re one of my top news resources 🙂
It’s over now because Biden and Harris made sure that goods would arrive to better America. Thank you.
I stayed at AKL a couple of weeks ago. Our toilet roll only got replaced when I asked for a spare as we were on the last roll. We were there for 18 nights so this happened 3 or 4 times. I said to my husband that it seemed like they didn’t want to put much in the room in case we nicked it but who in their right mind wants to steal such poor quality toilet roll? (Soap, however, is another matter!)