Supply chain issues affecting local Thanksgiving shopping

If you're planning to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this year, you may want to get your shopping done as soon as possible. Some of those staple Thanksgiving items are at risk for shortages as the supply chain issues continue across the country.

"The prices are way up," said Coachella Valley resident Darlene Bjork. "I was hoping to find a turkey but I'm not going to choose from two. I'll go to another store and hopefully find that."

Bjork has spent 25 years celebrating Thanksgiving in the valley, but she said she has never struggled this much in preparing for the holiday meal. 

"You go into Walmart right now and you're gonna see many empty shelves. I don't even know what's supposed to be there," said Bjork. "I wish I wasn't cooking this year. I would just rather go to somebody else and have them put up with it. I am tired. I really am."

The market research firm IRI says supply chain issues and more demand are impacting Thanksgiving-related items. It is causing prices to increase and your favorite Thanksgiving foods to go out of stock quicker.

According to data from IRI, more shoppers than ever are shopping early. The firm says there was a 63% increase in sales for Thanksgiving items the last 3 weeks of October. But in the past, it's usually been a 45% increase.

"More than ever before, consumers are planning ahead for Thanksgiving by shopping early for key items, driving a 4% sales lift of the entire edible category for the week ending Oct. 31, 2021," said the president of client engagement for IRI, Dr. Krishnakumar Davey.

The firm says the usual Thanksgiving meats and pies are at most out-of-stock risk. It adds that you should be prepared to make creative substitutions in your food items given supply chain issues.

"Sometimes shelves aren't as deep or there's gaps," said snowbird Rebecca Phillipsen. "And you know, you just have to wait and go back, you know, the next day or a couple of days later... Canned items, almost everything is a few ticks up meat particularly is higher."

Phillipsen said she was surprised at the number of empty shelves. So make sure you get your Thanksgiving items soon or you might have to come up with substitutions. 

"I hope everybody has a better time than I did today. And Happy Thanksgiving to everybody," said Bjork.