Some North Texas shoppers have been snatching up some basic items at local stores — leaving some empty shelves — but not at all stores, even as concerns persist about the dockworkers strike.
Toilet paper, paper towels and bottled water were among items in demand at stores in Dallas-Fort Worth. But availability was ample for some of these and other items Thursday.
For example, on Wednesday night, a Costco in Frisco was out of its brand of toilet paper and paper towel brands available — but bottled water was available. A nearby Target had the paper-based items available under different brands.
On Thursday morning, two Tom Thumbs in Dallas had paper towels, toilet paper and bottled water available, along with produce. A Kroger in Dallas also had stock. Yet in Forney, shelves in the toilet paper section were relatively empty.
The dockworker strike has dragged into its third day with long lines of container ships outside major U.S. ports. It’s the biggest such work stoppage in nearly half a century, preventing unloading and threatening shortages as the recent shopping surge stirs memories of the pandemic.
Facing potential disruptions, businesses typically hold inventory — like “safety stock” — as a buffer against the probability of stock running out, according to Tim Hawkins, professor of supply management at the University of North Texas. Toilet paper shouldn’t be a concern, he said.
“Right now, I am not stocking up on toilet paper,” Hawkins said in an email. “During probably the greatest panic buying of TP in my lifetime thus far — during the COVID-19 pandemic — I was able to find TP. Manufacturers were able to react.”
Hawkins noted nearly all U.S.-consumed toilet paper is produced in this country. While one ingredient — eucalyptus pulp — is imported, substitutes are available, so manufacturing can continue.
“Some consumers may be uninformed about the supply chain of their critical items,” Hawkins said.
At Irving-based Kimberly-Clark, which provides toilet paper and other products, the port strike is “not currently impacting our ability to supply our paper products or other products,” a spokesperson said. The company prepared for the strike and will continue to actively monitor the situation.
Concerns about supplies are not unique to North Texas as news reports indicate unusually strong demand for toilet paper and other items elsewhere in the U.S.
Kroger has “proactively and temporarily” set limits on purchases for each customer on certain products including paper towels, toilet paper and water, a spokesperson said.
H-E-B doesn’t anticipate any customer impact from the port strike at this time, a spokesperson said Thursday morning.
“Our team has been working with suppliers for weeks to serve Texans,” the spokesperson said. “Most products are not impacted by this strike. Our stores are receiving shipments and are in a strong position that allows our partners to continue to restock shelves throughout the day.”
As for Walmart, it prepares for “unforeseen disruptions in our supply chain and [we] maintain additional sources of supply to ensure we have key products available for our customers and members when and how they want them.”
Hawkins said some items are under more of a threat than others.
“Products with really short shelf life typically move by faster modes of transportation — air and truck,” Hawkins said in an email. “But even for perishable agricultural products transported via ocean, the supply chain is fairly resilient. Shippers will find a way to meet market demand, and the pandemic made them think about contingency plans.”
Products with long-lead manufacturing times such as semiconductors could experience greater pressure over time, Hawkins said.
For consumers, panic buying can have longer-term results.
“A longer-term consequence could be slightly higher prices,” Hawkins said. “Alternating transportation modes and ports will cost money to businesses, and that increased cost will likely be passed on to the consumer.”