Urgent potato and baby formula shortage as wild winter weather causes travel chaos and Covid staffing problems surge

THERE's an urgent potato and baby formula shortage as 2022's wild winter weather has sparked travel chaos and Covid staffing problems surge.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues and some parts of the world have been affected by extreme weather conditions, potatoes are becoming less accessible.

According to The Washington Post, some McDonald's locations in Japan have stopped selling large and medium-size french fry orders in December 2021.

Supply chain issues and floods in the Port of Vancouver are the reasoning behind shipment delays.

Additionally, South Africa has experienced a potato shortage after excessive frost and rains and various Kentucky Fried Chicken locations ran out of chips this month.

Farmers across the US, one of the world's top potato producers, last year had to destroy millions of potatoes after a major drop in demand.

Meanwhile, baby formula has also been difficult to come by as many brands have been out of stock.

Parents across the nation have had difficulty finding formula by brands like Enfamil, Similac, and Gerber, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Walmart Inc. and CVS Health Corp both complain that manufacturers are having supply troubles while the formula companies are complaining that retailers aren't getting the product to stores after delivery, according to the report.

Derval Kenny, a 65-year-old New Yorker, told The Wall Street Journal: "The shelves are just bare. To me, there should be an uproar."

Krishnakumar Davey, strategic analytics president at retail research firm IRI, dubbed the shortages as irregular.

Davey — said 10 top retailers in the US had more than 20 percent of baby formula out of stock at the start of 2022 — also noted that the issues depend on the retailer and location.

Robert Rankin, executive director of Infant Nutrition Council of America, said in a statement to WSJ: "There is no shortage in manufacturers’ supply of infant formula."

"Broadly, there are reports of challenges across retail supply chains, from transportation and logistics to some anecdotal evidence suggesting pantry-loading behaviors, which can put increased pressure on in-store inventory," the group's spokeswoman added.

Curt Covington, a top director at AgAmerica, told USA TODAY: "Shortages depend on the item, store, and region of the country.

"Shortages can be driven by supply chain issues, consumer behavior, or environmental factors, so it’s hard to pinpoint what will be affected next.

Winter weather & staffing issues

USA TODAY explains that snowstorms in the northeastern US states and wildfires in Colorado are just some of the weather issues that have affected product availability.

Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of Consumer Brands Association, said the unavailability rate of US groceries is now around 15 percent — approximately five to 10 percent higher than normal.

Additionally, companies across the US are planning to shorten hours of operation amid the ongoing pandemic and spike in Covid cases.

McDonald's has reduced operational hours by 10 percent due to a shortage of employees as Starbucks may also be cutting hours, Fox Business reports.

Starbucks lovers may also see some products missing or a temporary stoppage to mobile orders.

The coffee chain recently told customers they are working on fixing the situation, saying: "We will always make proactive decisions that prioritize the health and well-being of our customers and our partners."

Chipotle, Kura Sushi, and Shake Shack have also been experiencing staffing issues, according to WSJ.