Not for a while. Sales of aerosol disinfectants jumped 343% last month, and demand has grown since then without an increase in supply, so it’s going to be a while, says Sam Houston State University supply chain professor Dr. Jason Riley. In the interim, he suggests you’ll probably be seeing more off-brand names on the shelves. “I think what will happen is that smaller brands, the off-brands, will recover quickly, maybe 2 to 3 weeks. The large brands like Lysol and Bounty will be 6-8 weeks before we see that nationwide.”
Another item running in short supply is hair dye. With barber shops and hair salons shuttered styles are becoming less trim and for some – their natural roots are showing, leading to an increase in the sales of boxed hair dyes. If you can find it, good luck finding your shade.
Dr. Riley says there are a couple factors that will determine when supplies are replenished. “I think it really comes down to two issues: one is the supply chain itself, are the manufacturers, distribution centers and trucks up and running? The second is the increased volumes,” he says.
Other items that are seeing sharp increases in the volume of demand:
Cold and flu medications, up 861%
Hand soap up 52%
Dog food up 947%
Chips up 376%
photo courtesy of Getty Images