Those looking forward to some Christmas cheer may find it easier to fill stockings in 2022 after two years of pandemic-related supply chain disruptions.
While experts are saying the squeeze on shipping is starting to loosen, being fussy about what colour you want your new toaster or kettle to be might still be a problem.
“Shipping getting better, factories are getting a little bit more reliable in terms of deliveries and we seem to be getting through the ports a little easier,” said Rod Duke from Briscoes.
It’s become a habit for big retailers to over-order.
"We anticipated there'd be some slowing of supply of stocks in stores is actually pretty good so it's actually about eight or nine million dollars more than last year," Duke said.
Over at members-only megastore Costco, the shelves are looking full, despite its opening being delayed due to supply chain problems.
Problems with the supply chain have rippled around the world since the pandemic began.
“Now with inflation people are actually buying less and that gave the supply chains a bit of a chance to ease up a little bit,” said Carel Bezuidenhout, a senior lecturer in supply chain management at Massey University.
The Warehouse Group has also promised Christmas cheer, telling 1News it has sufficient stock and is confident that flow will continue for the rest of the year.
However, the impact of global issues is a big unknown.
At one of the UK’s biggest ports, 1900 workers are striking over pay.
The port handles almost half the country's freight and the multi-day strike is having a massive impact on the UK’s supply chain.
There are also concerns about China.
Amid a weakening economy, low water levels caused by a severe drought mean cargo ships simply can’t get through.
Thousands of factories that make items like processor chips have had to shut down too.
“Changes in the weather could definitely impact the future of our supply chains that's probably one of the biggest exposures at the moment,” Bezuidenhout said.
Right now, all problems with the global economy come back to inflation.
“The price out of factories have gone up, the price of steel has gone up and the price of shipping has gone up, so we're carrying a bit of that and only passing on when absolutely necessary,” Duke said.
The number of goods on the shelves might be up this Christmas, but so too might the price.
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