Coming "Food Shortages" (in America)

[Tiny]

Jun 29, 2022 15:22:58 GMT -5 haapai said:

I wonder if the price increases will be relatively higher for lower-end foods.  I'm seeing an awful lot of things that used to be priced at 99 cents at $1.29 and $1.49 and rarely on sale, or on the shelf when they are on sale.  Percentage-wise, that's a terrible rate of inflation that's striking what appear to be the cheapest foods available.

On the other hand, I don't really trust my own judgement here.  I may be reacting too strongly to prices going over a dollar. 

 I don't think you are reacting too strongly.   There aren't many under a dollar food items here - they would normally be $1.09 or $1.19  and go on sale for under a dollar pre pandemic.  I think some of the items might have been loss leaders or would just go on sale to clear out inventory.     

Now the items are everyday price of $1.29 up to $1.49  and I haven't seen any sort of sale on them.  

(I like jello and jello pudding.  I like some of the not Kraft mac and cheese boxes.  I like the pasta's that might not be a full pound and are fun shapes.  I like the individual serving tuna pouches.  But I felt they were the best deal when they were on sale for .90 or .99 ).     It feels funny paying $1.39 for a box of jello - I use to be able to get for .90 on sale or a $1.19 not on sale.   

For me, it's a first world problem - the price increase isn't going to cause me to spend differently or give anything up.    It's just weird how the items i would buy under $1 on sale - were reliably available at that price for YEARS.    The regular every day price may have crept up a few pennies every year - but the sale price remained the same.   

I think that's what is so jarring and noticeable - the reliably low consistent price (even when the every day price crept up a few pennies every year) feels more painful. 

[Artemis Windsong]

Stock up on chocolate while it's available.  This salmonella problem will take a while to clean up.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/salmonella-found-in-world-s-biggest-chocolate-factory/ar-AAZ1M1O?cvid=e4583908abac4bf5aaf2f5e674e56cda

[Opti]

Jun 30, 2022 6:21:49 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

Stock up on chocolate while it's available.  This salmonella problem will take a while to clean up.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/salmonella-found-in-world-s-biggest-chocolate-factory/ar-AAZ1M1O?cvid=e4583908abac4bf5aaf2f5e674e56cda

I'm going to hope its all milk chocolate so I don't have to worry. But it might push prices up on dark chocolate anyway. 

[teen persuasion]

Jun 29, 2022 22:38:19 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Jun 29, 2022 15:22:58 GMT -5 haapai said:

I wonder if the price increases will be relatively higher for lower-end foods.  I'm seeing an awful lot of things that used to be priced at 99 cents at $1.29 and $1.49 and rarely on sale, or on the shelf when they are on sale.  Percentage-wise, that's a terrible rate of inflation that's striking what appear to be the cheapest foods available.

On the other hand, I don't really trust my own judgement here.  I may be reacting too strongly to prices going over a dollar. 

 I don't think you are reacting too strongly.   There aren't many under a dollar food items here - they would normally be $1.09 or $1.19  and go on sale for under a dollar pre pandemic.  I think some of the items might have been loss leaders or would just go on sale to clear out inventory.     

Now the items are everyday price of $1.29 up to $1.49  and I haven't seen any sort of sale on them.  

(I like jello and jello pudding.  I like some of the not Kraft mac and cheese boxes.  I like the pasta's that might not be a full pound and are fun shapes.  I like the individual serving tuna pouches.  But I felt they were the best deal when they were on sale for .90 or .99 ).     It feels funny paying $1.39 for a box of jello - I use to be able to get for .90 on sale or a $1.19 not on sale.   

For me, it's a first world problem - the price increase isn't going to cause me to spend differently or give anything up.    It's just weird how the items i would buy under $1 on sale - were reliably available at that price for YEARS.    The regular every day price may have crept up a few pennies every year - but the sale price remained the same.   

I think that's what is so jarring and noticeable - the reliably low consistent price (even when the every day price crept up a few pennies every year) feels more painful. 

I agree.  I tended to ignore the everyday price of things (like MSRP, it's just suggested), and just remembered the reliably consistent low sale price that I could find on a semi-regular cycle.

All of a sudden, there are few to no sales, at the same time the everyday price is jumping 25%-50%-100%, not just 5-10¢ at a time.

It's a giant reset, all at once. At the same time, selection is down, so finding alternatives is challenging, too.

[teen persuasion]

On a slightly different note - this morning on the news they mentioned gas prices had dropped slightly, national average below $5, at $4.85.

Whenever gas prices go haywire, local news tracks 3 averages: local, NYS, and national. For months our local has tracked the national average quite closely (surprisingly). June 1, the state started a gas tax holiday, and counties could set their own version for the sales tax, or a portion. So local gas should be 16¢ less NYS tax, and about 8¢ less county sales tax (capped at 4% of the first $3/gal), or 24¢ less per gal than normal. Our local price is $4.89, down from a peak at $4.99 (that hit after the tax holiday was in place).

So with a 24¢ drop, we are now 4¢ above the national average that we previously matched!