We Could Soon Be Seeing Empty Shelves Everywhere. Here’s Which Items Might Disappear First.

27 comments

1. I swear to god if you mothercluckers all go for the toilet paper again I’m gonna lose my mind.

   No but in all seriousness, it’s going to be awful. Things you don’t even expect will begin to be in short supply. Shit like ziplock bags, doggie poop bags, cardboard boxes, spray bottles, air fresheners, anything made in China. And if you’ve lived in the US for the last 30 years you know that’s pretty much everything on the shelves.

2. Disposable lighters are mostly made in China, so there may be a return of matches and zippos.

3. At least we’ll have plenty of soy beans. You can do a lot with them, kinda like round leggos.

4. It’s not the availability of product it’s the price of product. At the consumer level.

   Above that at the industry level it’s entirely different. If companies can’t afford to make the product then they won’t. If companies don’t think customers can afford over the counter medicine or school supplies or toys then they just won’t make them or ship them to USA. There’s price gouging yes but at a certain level even CEOs know customers won’t pay too high a price especially if their margins stay the same and the price increase is just to pay Trump and Republicans.

   And it’s not just tariffs either. China took a page from USA’s playbook and is now doing to USA what USA has been doing to China for years. Don’t forget that during the Great Supply Chain Break of 2020 countries wanted to get trade back up and running. Now, you have China and Japan that don’t want to pay extortion money to Trump. Slight difference but it is there.

   China Just Turned Off U.S. Supplies Of Minerals Critical For Defense & Cleantech
   https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/05/china-just-turned-off-u-s-supplies-of-minerals-critical-for-defense-cleantech/
   > What China did wasn’t a ban, at least not in name. They called it export licensing. Sounds like something a trade lawyer might actually be excited about. But make no mistake: this was a surgical strike. They didn’t need to say no. They just needed to say “maybe later” to the right set of paperwork. These licenses give Beijing control over not just where these materials go, but how fast they go, in what quantity, and to which politically convenient customers.
   >
   > The U.S.? Let’s just say Washington should get comfortable waiting behind the rope line. The licenses have to be applied for and the end use including country of final destination must be clearly spelled out. Licenses for end uses in the U.S. are unlikely to be approved. What’s astonishing is how predictable this all was. China has spent decades building its dominance over these supply chains, while the U.S. was busy outsourcing, divesting, and cheerfully ignoring every report that said, “Hey, maybe 90% dependence on a single country we keep starting trade wars with and rattling sabers at is a bad idea.”
   >
   > Try ramping up your semiconductor fab or solar plant when your indium source just dried up. It’s a fun exercise in learning which of your suppliers used to be dependent on Beijing but never mentioned it in the quarterly call.
   >
   > The materials China just restricted aren’t random. They’re chosen with the precision of someone who’s read U.S. product spec sheets and defense procurement orders. Start with dysprosium. If your electric motor needs to function at high temperatures—and they all do—then mostly it is using neodymium magnets doped with dysprosium. No dysprosium, no thermal stability. No thermal stability, no functioning motor in your F-35 or your Mustang Mach-E. China controls essentially the entire supply of dysprosium, and no, there is no magical mine in Wyoming or Quebec waiting in the wings. If dysprosium doesn’t come out of China, it doesn’t come out at all. It’s the spinal cord of electrification, and right now China’s holding the vertebrae.
   >
   > So here we are. China has responded to Trump’s tariffs by cutting off U.S. supply of some of the most essential ingredients of the modern world.

   Remember, people in China can buy stuff made in China. People in USA can’t buy all the stuff they want made in USA. Most USA factories are dependent on a foreign country to make a finished product. Except Twinkies. I looked that up yesterday. We good there except for the plastic to put the Twinkies in.

5. It’s definitely already starting.

   The targets near me have reduced their weekly shipments by 28%. They are going to get warehouse shipments 2 days fewer than they have normally.

   Edit: I forgot to add a Walmart receiver who also told me they are receiving their shipments 1 day fewer.

6. “Fourth of July is one of the nearest major holidays, and it’s when you might first notice a major shortage, be it your desired grill or fireworks. That’s because seasonal items like American flags and fireworks are largely made in China.”

   OF FUCKING COURSE.

7. I ordered a replacement carburetor for my generator this week. Mine is working fine right now, but I thought that it is the most likely part to fail and that if it failed this fall there won’t be any available ….

8. School supplies and disposable items will be an obvious big hit. I’m curious how this will affect everything else as well.

   Headed to out to buy the next show size up today. 

9. Lots of people in here who need to come over to the bidet school, even if only for the peace of mind that you don’t have to worry about keeping as much TP on hand.

   A clean booty is good for peace of mind too, I’m confident you’ll agree.

10. Went to the grocery store Friday. Already seeing empty shelves. Havent seen as many shelves empty since covid. Only difference is the store, Kroger, are covering bare shelves with pictures of items. Looks very north korean like. Was super strange

11. I’m going to look on the bright side no more maga hat or never surrender shirts will enter the country!

    Oh I forgot the dipshit can give exceptions to special things for special needs? What about the fentanyl? Wasn’t this all about fentanyl?

12. 1 – Freedom

    2 – The constitution.

    3 – etc.

13. If nobody puts controls on place, you know they will double whatever the cost is to them when adjusting their prices and we will never see it go down even if the tariffs end.

14. How ironic would it be if one of the items Americans wouldn’t be able to get was American flags, just in time for the 4th of July.

15. I already got a pack at Costco recently for this reason. I think the warehouse was also overstocking paper to beat tariffs in case of overbuying

16. Please God let fireworks be almost impossible to find. The rednecks around here shoot them off non=stop from mid June until early august. I have to constantly soak my property and roof because these idiots have already started numerous fires over the years.

17. Unintended benefit: maga will not be able to buy Trump merchandise because it is all made in China

18. Sorry people… I guess that means no more happy birthday trump birthday hats to wear at his 90 million dollar military parade.

19. I was at the pet store yesterday to buy turtle food and filters for my little beta aquarium. Turtle food, it’s frozen, was in stock, no issues.
    I found two packages of filters, both the wrong size. Checked the label, made in China.
    Asked the girl behind the counter if they had any replacement filters in the store room.
    She advised they had not gotten any in.
    I found them on Amazon. I HATE. Amazon. I don’t want my fish to die before his time.
    Not a huge thing in the overall scheme I know. I live in a rural area, no big box stores around. It’s more than an hours drive to the Pet Store, which is local, not a national chain store.
    I’m venting , I know.
    I thought I had everything I needed for this tariff BS. I was wrong.

20. Alright then what are we calling this to tie it to Trump? We had Obamacare, Bidenomics…Trumpcession? Doesn’t have the same ring to it. But he will absolutely need to own this.

21. Smooth move, Donnie. You fucked the economy in record time. It’ll be interesting to see what his supporters do when their daily essentials start going through the roof.

22. This happens during hurricanes and pandemics.

    Trump getting elected is like a natural disaster. No wonder he’s gutting FEMA and USAID.

23. I read the article. TOILET PAPER IS NOT ON THE LIST.

    I’m suspecting we’re going to see a little bit of a resurgence and used furniture and clothes. Garage sales are gonna be packed this summer.

24. Brought to you by the people who said that they couldn’t vote for a Democrat because of inflation.

25. Everyone is talking about tariffs and prices on imported goods.  

    Let’s remember that American companies selling American products are likely to raise prices as well, BECAUSE THEY CAN….

26. Oh it’s happening. You can’t just turn the economy on and off like a fucking WiFi router. It will be months. And all thanks to inbred country cousin fucking mental maga nut heads

27. The TL:DR list:

    Fast Fashion & Clothes

    4th of July Items

    Back-To-School Supplies

    Furniture & Home Decorations

    Toys

    Cheap Household Essentials

    Electronics

    Replacement Parts of Appliances

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