Supply chain issues are affecting grocers across the nation, but locals say they have mostly been able to avoid issues

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

President Biden addressed ongoing supply chain problems on Wednesday, as major retailers warn of shortages and price hikes during the upcoming holiday season.

Schnucks says because of the current trucker shortage, production facility labor shortages, and shortages of certain raw ingredients, select products are taking longer to get through the supply chain to the stores.

Smaller grocery stores like Clovers on Broadway are not having the issues that some of the more prominent retailers are seeing because many of their products come from the local level.

However, Clovers produce manager, Tyler Krueger, said they still have issues with their imported goods.

"Most of the issues I have seen have been with imported products which is mainly exotics like mangos or dragonfruit. We are also having issues with blueberries because at this time of year they are being imported from Peru," Krueger said.

Krueger also said they don't get a lot of meat that isn't local, so the shortages of meat that larger grocery stores like Walmart are seeing are not affecting them as much at Clover.

The White House says plans are in place to increase capacity at major California ports and with large goods carriers, including Walmart, FedEx and UPS.

Food prices overall rose 4.6% since Sept. 2020, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs had the highest increase with a combined 10.5% increase.

Adams said anytime any prices go up, it is going to affect some people.

Columbia resident, Nathan Fleischmann, agrees that people are being impacted by these prices.

"Food just like other commodities that we need on a day-to-day basis like transportation and getting around, even a small increase or decrease can greatly impact our choices and the things that we do," Fieshman said.