‘Global supply chain management” used to be a phrase I heard only in snippets of phone calls from another room: it is what my husband does for work. Now, though, we are all invested, tracking the gaps and delving into what has happened to semiconductors, garage doors and mustard. The food sector is even warning of a looming shortage of carbon dioxide, one thing I thought we definitely had too much of.
Some shortages have been dramatic, such as the baby milk crisis in the US, where product recall compounded supply-chain wonkiness, or the scarcity of hormone replacement therapy in the UK. More often, they are an inconvenience that makes us question carelessly held certainties about how stuff reaches us, or perhaps even an exciting glimpse into a future when we will all be bartering homemade squirrel jerky for toothpaste with the man in the corner shop, elevated to the status of neighbourhood god.
Take deodorant. I haven’t been able to get a stick deodorant for months. My household uses Dove Original (the inoffensive plain crisp of deodorants) and things have been getting nasty as the last one wore down to nothing, rasping my armpit skin. A swift Google revealed that Mumsnet was all over it: apparently, most sticks are manufactured in Russia, hence the empty shelves. So it has been every man for himself, dabbling in sprays and roll-ons, rummaging through cupboards and testing the dregs. Things degenerated fast: a “96% natural” US-made alternative was aggressively scented and sticky, making my armpits smell and feel like a Bounty left in a hot car.
My deodorant complaints and internet searches brought the inevitable raft of targeted ads, scenting blood (well, sweat). Lured by the promises of “disruptive” deodorant manufacturers, I succumbed to a sleekly packaged refillable eco “system” just as the news on Mumsnet was that Dove is returning to the shops – now, apparently, made in Italy. It’s too late for me – it’s £6 refills for ever or become an eco-terrorist – but I’m passing it on for any pits in need.
Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist
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