You may want to start rationing that roll of paper towels on your counter.
It has been an ongoing struggle for some to find reasonably priced paper towels ever since the coronavirus began spreading throughout the U.S. back in March. Some retailers put product limitations in place, while shoppers experienced price gouging online — most notably at Amazon.
And while the paper towel shortage isn’t as dire as it was a few months ago, it’s still an issue.
Research firm IRL said last month that, on average, 21% of household paper products were still out of stock in stores throughout the U.S., according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Why are paper towels hard to find in stores?
The Wall Street Journal report cites lean manufacturing as the primary reason. Companies produce a certain amount of inventory based on estimated purchases per day. The method keeps profits high and inventory low.
While lean manufacturing is part of the problem, it’s not the whole problem. Paper towel companies, or any business for that matter, don’t always have access to materials needed for production, causing supply chains to freeze — especially during a pandemic.
Lean manufacturing was first introduced by Japanese automotive manufacturer Toyota and has since been adopted by other retailers and businesses.
What about price-gouging?
When products become high in demand, the unfortunate reality of price-gouging comes into play.
Since the pandemic began, price-gouging has been an issue on items such as paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, bleach, Lysol, face masks and disinfectant wipes.
One New Jersey business was being investigated for allegedly selling a $12 gallon of milk.
The online retail giant Amazon has had its share of price-gouging, largely because of third-party and independent sellers.
Where can I buy paper towels?
You can, however, still find household necessities in stock at reasonable prices, paper towels included.
For Amazon Pantry members, Bounty Big Roll Paper Towels (6 Count) are going for under $12. If you really want to stock up, Kleenex Multifold Paper Towels (16 Pack) are $30, and they come with 2,400 towels.
Walmart also has the brands Bounty, Brawny, Scott and Viva in stock online at reasonable prices, in addition to its Great Value brand.
ShopRite currently has paper towels in stock at select stores, according to Instacart, and several are on sale.
Other retailers with paper towels in stock online include Costco, Staples, Target and The Home Depot.
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Nicolette Accardi can be reached at naccardi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
The Link LonkSeptember 17, 2020 at 08:00PM
https://www.nj.com/business/2020/09/heres-why-paper-towels-can-still-be-hard-to-find-in-stores.html
Here’s why paper towels can still be hard to find in stores - NJ.com
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