Holiday Staples in Short Supply During Coronavirus
Holiday Staples in Short Supply During Coronavirus Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.
To combat this, Stanton advises that consumers not overbuy or hoard. By “making a conscious effort not to stress the supply chain there's a better chance it will be able to function properly,” he says. And with careful planning, flexibility and a calm attitude, you should be able to find what you need for the holidays. . Spur of the moment purchases may be more difficult. If you see something you need, purchase it. It may not be there next time you shop. • Try to determine when your store stocks its shelves and visit during those times for the best chance at finding in-demand items. • Think outside the box — if your favorite supermarket is out of something, it's possible you might find it at a different store or another type of retailer, like a drugstore or dollar store. • Consider shopping your supermarket online. Add to your cart throughout the week, and if your store allows it, select substitute items that would also be acceptable for the greatest chance of getting the products you want. The average weight of a turkey typically purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds. With smaller gatherings more likely this holiday , many families will have fewer mouths to feed. Grocery chain Kroger used its own data to conclude that 43 percent of its shoppers plan to celebrate the holiday with only those in their immediate household.
National retailer Walmart, citing data from turkey producer Butterball, notes that those who plan to celebrate only with immediate family has risen from 21 percent in a typical year to 31 percent. In response, the chain will offer a larger selection of smaller birds. "With more customers planning for smaller groups, we anticipate a higher preference for smaller turkeys,” says Jacqui Lyons, divisional merchandise manager, seafood and seasonal meat. “This year, we've increased our assortment of bone-in and boneless turkey breasts by 20 to 30 percent in stores across the country.” Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Likewise, Northeast family supermarket chain Stew Leonard's is decreasing the number of turkeys over 16 pounds and stocking 20 percent more turkeys under that weight, President and CEO Stew Leonard told the Today show. On the other hand, Beth Breeding, vice president of communications and marketing at the National Turkey Federation, told Today show reporters that while some people might opt for “slightly smaller turkey or a bone-in turkey breast this year,” she predicted that there will still be a demand for the whole bird, especially because leftovers remain one of the best parts of the meal.
Some Holiday Staples in Short Supply
Spices pumpkin small turkeys might be harder to find
BLOOMBERG / GETTY IMAGES and increased are colliding with fall and winter celebrations, making it a challenge to find everything on holiday shopping lists. With a fresh wave of COVID-19 on the rise, retailers are starting to see empty shelves and are putting like toilet paper, cleaning products and hand sanitizer. But many aren't yet seeing the panic buying of early spring, when coronavirus worries left store shelves bereft of all sorts of items like , flour, chicken and cans of tuna. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. When it comes to holiday items, grocers made their purchasing decisions months ago, but they may not have predicted consumer demand accurately, experts say. “Most grocers [bought stock] before anyone thought the restrictions brought on by the pandemic would last into the fall and winter months,” says Jim Dudlicek, director of communications and external affairs for the National Grocers Association. COVID-19 has altered consumers’ buying behavior, says Daniel Stanton, author of Supply Chain Management for Dummies and a professor at Bradley University. “If a lot of people change their habits, even a little, it can throw off the supply side of the equation,” he says.To combat this, Stanton advises that consumers not overbuy or hoard. By “making a conscious effort not to stress the supply chain there's a better chance it will be able to function properly,” he says. And with careful planning, flexibility and a calm attitude, you should be able to find what you need for the holidays. . Spur of the moment purchases may be more difficult. If you see something you need, purchase it. It may not be there next time you shop. • Try to determine when your store stocks its shelves and visit during those times for the best chance at finding in-demand items. • Think outside the box — if your favorite supermarket is out of something, it's possible you might find it at a different store or another type of retailer, like a drugstore or dollar store. • Consider shopping your supermarket online. Add to your cart throughout the week, and if your store allows it, select substitute items that would also be acceptable for the greatest chance of getting the products you want. The average weight of a turkey typically purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds. With smaller gatherings more likely this holiday , many families will have fewer mouths to feed. Grocery chain Kroger used its own data to conclude that 43 percent of its shoppers plan to celebrate the holiday with only those in their immediate household.
National retailer Walmart, citing data from turkey producer Butterball, notes that those who plan to celebrate only with immediate family has risen from 21 percent in a typical year to 31 percent. In response, the chain will offer a larger selection of smaller birds. "With more customers planning for smaller groups, we anticipate a higher preference for smaller turkeys,” says Jacqui Lyons, divisional merchandise manager, seafood and seasonal meat. “This year, we've increased our assortment of bone-in and boneless turkey breasts by 20 to 30 percent in stores across the country.” Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Likewise, Northeast family supermarket chain Stew Leonard's is decreasing the number of turkeys over 16 pounds and stocking 20 percent more turkeys under that weight, President and CEO Stew Leonard told the Today show. On the other hand, Beth Breeding, vice president of communications and marketing at the National Turkey Federation, told Today show reporters that while some people might opt for “slightly smaller turkey or a bone-in turkey breast this year,” she predicted that there will still be a demand for the whole bird, especially because leftovers remain one of the best parts of the meal.