Product Shortages Impact Nearly Every Industry Across Colorado, But Supply Chain Isn't Always To Blame

DENVER (CBS4)- Many Colorado businesses are experiencing product shortages because of supply chain issues happening at U.S. ports and beyond. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden's administration announced that they are taking steps to unblock the log jam of consumer products stuck at U.S. ports.

The issue will not only impact the holiday shopping season but is leading to rising prices for consumers.

"We have some good news, we're going to help speed up the delivery of goods all across America," said Biden.

The president met with industry leaders on the issues and said now the port of Los Angeles will expand to 24-hour operations seven days a week, and other shippers and retailers are committing to expanding their hours, including UPS, FedEx, and Walmart.

In Colorado, Choice Market is one of the many grocery stores being impacted by the problems. The owner Mike Fogarty said product shortages have been an ongoing problem since the pandemic started, but now with the lack of workers at ports and in warehouses, the shortage is getting worse for everyone.

"Every counterpart I speak to that's in the industry, they are concerned, certainly," said Fogarty. "We're not immune to it, but I think our business model is built around a hyper local supply chain, so we're sourcing as much as we can from local Colorado producers, which helps insolate us to a certain extent."

At Argonaut Wine & Liquor, they're seeing the same problems with certain products.

"A lot of things that are imported have been really tough to get: cognac, high-end tequila's been really tough. On the wine side, champagne," said Josh Robinson, one of the co-owners of the store.

But Robinson said it's not because they're a shortage of liquor, it's the labor and manufacturing that's taking a hit.

"Plenty of suppliers have juice, they just can't get glass, or glue for labels, or tape for the boxes," Robinson said. "It's all the other things that go into it, that we've never had to think of before COVID."

Robinson told CBS4, when you look at Mexico, tequila distilleries were able to stay open throughout the pandemic as essential businesses, but it's the glass makers, cork markers, etc., that were ordered to close, which delayed production of these items, which is why they're not able to get these products out at the moment.

So what does this mean for the consumer?

"Certainly I would anticipate higher prices, less availability, so you know you may have to look at substitutes or other brands," Fogarty said.

Fogarty and Robinson are really just hoping for some relief as the supply chain issues continue. Robinson said he hopes shoppers will be patient with them as they work to stock their shelves. And Robinson said he hopes that people will be open minded to trying new products as the shortage continues.