GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN delays have caused some shortages in supermarket inventory and price spikes, the head of an industry group said.

“There are some products missing on the shelves which are imported. Every now and then, saka lang nagkakaroon (the products are back in stock),” Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (Pagasa) President Steven T. Cua said in a phone interview on Monday.

Deliveries come in fits and starts, he said. The products when made available again in Philippine supermarkets are priced slightly higher, he added, noting that he suspects some locally produced goods could have also increased prices due to raw material import issues.

Various industries globally are reporting supply chain constraints and shortages as economies bounce back from the pandemic. Local exporters said logistics issues such as vessel space and container shortages cause freight rate surges and shipment delays, and some industries report struggling with higher import costs.   

Mr. Cua said that supermarkets have different percentages of imported products in their inventories, with stores catering to wealthier markets selling more high-quality imported items.

Some imported items, however, are sold in most stores.

Mr. Cua said that exports of canned meat from the United States are now offered in fewer varieties, with importers only bringing in the most in-demand flavors.

Hormel Foods Corp., which produces Spam, has been noting supply chain and production issues since last year as demand for its products surged. — Jenina P. Ibañez

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