Ozford is located at the heart of the Melbourne’s CBD, and there are many great shopping outlets for us to enjoy but occasionally, you’re presented with this scenario…
So, you’re at the supermarket, you’ve just bought your vegies, you get to aisle 8 and then you see that, ahhh… someone’s taken all the toilet paper… again!
But, this is by no means an indication that factories who produce these products are slowing down or, the supply chains of imported goods have been compromised. If anything, producers have had to ramp-up their efforts and adapt to the fact that ‘all supply chains are vulnerable to some form of risk’ (1).
Despite the distinct lack of toilet paper and rapid antigen tests that we’ve seen, the supply lines for Australia are still strong. The frequent changes amid the pandemic, continually spur on panic-buying. Granted, there have been disruptions throughout the pandemic but, we need to remind ourselves that, things like loo roll, RATS, staples such as rice, bread and dairy, will be on the supermarket shelves in the not too distant future.
Many of the concerns surrounding the supply chain to Australia have been forecast as being short lived and minor. Manufacturers are still working full-tilt and so are the delivery firms to bring these items to your door or local shops. According to the RBA, the raw materials for production have only seen a mild decrease and not enough to slow manufacturing (2).
Regardless, it can still give you a fright when you see people scrambling for pasta or cutting the queue with a trolley full of rollmops, powdered milk and elderflower cordial. But what we need to understand, is that supply is plentiful and it seems that, collectively, we need to ‘cool our cotton socks’ and trust that the shelves will again return to normal. Since the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, one would think we’ve learnt this.
Perhaps not but that’s fine, we’re all still learning how to adapt to this somewhat new reality, but just as long as we think about those who need certain items the most, such as the elderly or the disadvantaged, we’d needn’t have to follow such a circuitous route out of this pandemic.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t feel the need to panic-buy and instead, we could harmoniously roll through the vicissitudes together, safe in the knowledge that the shelves will be stocked again, and you will get your rollmops?
At Ozford, we have a great supply of learning resources right here on campus and yes, we have toilet paper as well!