The shortage of tampons would be an unexpected effect of the Omicron variant, a health context having generated a shortage of manpower. But, more ironically, it would also be due to an increase in purchases of said tampons, by consumers fearing… a shortage of these products.
“It’s like toilet paper at the start of the Covid pandemic. Right now, babies are hungry: the United States is experiencing a shortage of infant formula. There is also a shortage of certain raw materials, including cotton and plastics. For the third year in the United States, the demand for cotton exceeds the production in the country,” observes Patrick Penfield, a specialist in supply chain management at Syracuse University.
“For the first time, several organizations that distribute menstrual products are contacting me to see if I can help them, and new agencies have contacted me asking for help because the resources they had have dried up. Several times a week, we receive cries for help”, alert in unison with the Guardian Elise Joy, chief executive and co-founder of the organization Girls Helping Girls, which distributes menstrual products to people in need.
A worrying situation.