If you haven’t been finding what you came for at the grocery store lately, you’re not alone. In January, USA Today reported that grocery stores nationwide were experiencing heightened shortages. According to the outlet, the spread of the Omicron variant coupled with winter weather events have devastated the supply chain resulting in less of certain items making their way to store shelves.
Meat, in particular, is facing a unique set of supply chain challenges. In addition to labor shortages, a reduction in the availability of packaging materials, such as aluminum and plastic, is impacting the distribution of meat (per Eat This).