Thanks to COVID-19 (the China Virus), changes in the way of life for American families is continuing to take a toll on the food supply chain. This week, social media was buzzing on the rumor that there was a shortage of Dr. Pepper in the US, but that’s really not the heart of the issue we are seeing. The problem is a shortage of aluminum cans in general.
More than any time in recent history, families are opting to stay away from public spaces like restaurants in favor of eating in. Taking that fact into consideration, it’s no surprise that the amount of soda Americans are purchasing from grocery store shelves has dramatically increased. This has led to a shortage in the supply of cans, and the store shelves here in the western US are beginning to show that there indeed is a problem.
I had a brief phone discussion with an individual from our local Coca-Cola distribution center, and when asked, they confirmed they are indeed seeing a shortage in aluminum cans. In order to go forward, I was told they are concentrating on packaging their main products and getting those out, and the result of that shift in focus is a shortage in stores of some of their less popular flavors of soda.
So there you have it – the real reason behind the Dr. Pepper scare of 2020…