After oil, mustard and flour, now it is water, eggs or animal croquettes that are in short supply on our supermarket shelves. Accustomed to abundance, consumers are increasingly surprised. According to an OpinionWay survey for La Retail Tech, stockouts rank first in the inconvenience consumers feel (39%) in stores, ahead of waiting at checkouts (37%) or even cleaning (14%). ) and parking spaces (9). %).
A deficit of 4,800 million euros
Because we’ve all seen it in recent months and the figures confirm it: breakups are on the rise. According to the firm NielsenIQ, they reached a record level of 5.5% at the end of 2022 (1.4 points more in one year). But in some departments or stores the rate is even higher and is close to 10%.
Which not only annoys consumers. It is also a very significant shortfall for stores that NielsenIQ estimates at €4.8 billion a year.
Among the products most affected in recent weeks, the specialist cites flavored water (+10.9 points) and sparkling water (+10.3 points), eggs (+9.7 points), animal feed (+ 6.8 points) or fresh cream (+5.4 points). ).
Bird flu, drought, inflation, lack of weapons…
Why are we seeing this increase in breakouts? There are almost as many explanations as products. For eggs and poultry, it was bird flu that decimated farms (it takes almost 10 months to restart a farm).
There are climatic dangers for certain vegetables such as potatoes, whose production has decreased in France due to the drought, or rice, which could become scarce in the coming months.
But also recruitment difficulties, particularly in logistics, which interrupt deliveries.
The overconsumption of certain products such as pasta in this period of inflation. Its sales increased 10% last December, something manufacturers had not anticipated.
And finally, of course, energy inflation that pushes certain manufacturers to suspend production lines or reduce their product offerings.
Rice, potatoes, eggs
Are new products likely to be lost in the coming months? What we can say while remaining cautious is that, due to the vagaries of the weather, the potato harvest was poor in France last year. As well as that of rice in India or Pakistan, which are our largest suppliers.
Eggs also with a production that has not returned to its pre-bird flu level. Or even animal feed with the tensions in the cereal or animal protein markets.
But don’t be scared, if there is a break, it will be temporary, assure manufacturers and distributors who fear psychosis and precautionary purchases, themselves causes of shortages.
Source: BFM TV
