‘The shelves are so empty’: What the grocery supply crunch looks like in Hamilton

Cathy Watters just wants to buy some Rice Krispies.

And after another visit to what has seemed like a million" different stores - including the Metro at the Centre on Barton early Tuesday afternoon - the Hamilton resident's efforts have been all but futile.

It's just brutal," said Watters, speaking to The Spectator as she walked down the cereal aisle. The shelves are so empty."

The iconic boxes of cereal, featuring the familiar faces of Snap, Crackle and Pop were nowhere to be found - but they're not the only noticeable void on grocery store shelves across the city and province.

Shoppers in all parts of Ontario have taken to social media to post photos of empty shelves where lettuce, onions, rice, meat and frozen produce were once stocked.

But the reasons behind the sparse selection vary, according to experts.

Sylvain Charlebois, professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, told the Toronto Star there are a number of factors causing the shortages. Omicron has made existing supply-chain issues worse, as more workers contract the virus and stay home, he said.

Michael Graydon, CEO of Food, Health, and Consumer Products of Canada, estimated that around 15 to 20 per cent of food suppliers are reporting worker absences. And because Canada receives a vast amount of products from the U.S., with COVID-19 cases higher south of the border, the impact has materialized.

The shortages can also vary depending on a grocer's relationship with its vendors, Charlebois said. This can result in shortages of select products at some stores, but not at others.

Those inconsistencies have materialized for resident Elizabeth Fisher, who spoke to The Spectator outside of the Walmart Supercentre on Upper James.

She said the shelves at the store were visibly empty, while those at a FreshCo in the city were the opposite.

Their shelves were full," said Fisher, who has had to switch up her grocery routines as a result of the inconsistencies. It's a bit of an aggravation."

Snowy weather is another factor causing empty shelves and delays, said Michelle Wasylyshen, a spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada.

Grocery retailers rely on just-in-time delivery, so weather events like what we saw over a week ago can certainly lead to product shortages," she said, in an interview with the Toronto Star.

What's the situation in Hamilton?

Seemingly, there is no rhyme or reason to what might be lacking on a grocery store's shelves.

To get a firsthand look at what the situation looks like in the city, Spectator reporter Fallon Hewitt travelled to a handful of stores Tuesday afternoon.

The results were fickle at best, with each store exhibiting its own scarcities.

At the Sobeys Extra in Ancaster, there were noticeable gaps in the cereal aisle where oatmeal and granola would be stocked. Certain brands of cat food and litter were not available, while snack foods such as crackers and chips were lacking.

There were also gaps in sections normally filled with dry pasta, instant noodles and canned veggies.

At the Walmart Supercentre on Upper James, fridges typically dedicated to fresh chicken were nearly barren, with a sign noting that due to unforeseen supply delays" some items featured in the weekly flyer may not be available."

Freezers usually filled with frozen dinners and pizzas were close to empty while there were notable gaps in shelves typically stocked with baby formula, dog food, pop and chips.

At the Metro at the Centre on Barton, there were some gaps in the fresh meat section, but nothing nearly as glaring as the shortage at Walmart.

A freezer meant to be filled with frozen chicken fingers, nuggets and burgers was completely empty, while the cereal aisle had clear vacancies.

At the Fortinos on Main Street West, the most obvious shortage was the lack of fresh greens and bagged salad kits.

Shelves dedicated to milk alternatives, store brand orange juice and European sparkling waters were sparsely stocked - many donning bright green tags apologizing for the lack of products.

Loblaws declined to comment on the empty shelves, while a spokesperson for Walmart Canada acknowledged the shortages while noting they expect availability of products to improve in the weeks ahead."

How is it affecting locally owned stores?

The issues facing the supply chain are not black and white for the grocery industry - especially for smaller, independent grocery chains.

At Denninger's Food of the World, there have been few issues for their fresh products, such as beef and pork, as they are locally sourced, said CEO Mary Aduckiewicz.

However, operations manager Patrick Denninger said the company is struggling with a substantial" shortage of takeout packaging used for their hot-food counter.

At Hamilton-based Goodness Me, merchandizing and replenishment director Caroline Moschetta echoed similar experiences to Denninger's, while noting costs have also increased as a result of the supply-chain crisis.

Moschetta said if the company does see a gap in supply, they've turned to other purveyors, while still holding onto their core vendors."

Some of this stuff is out of their control," said Moschetta. We totally need our vendors and they need us. It's really a partnership."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com