New toilet paper shortage has not impacted local grocery stores yet

Oct. 6—A new shortage of some paper products such as toilet paper has hit some larger retailers around the United States. Some larger retailers, including Costco, have reinstated limitations to prevent people from hoarding certain supplies — including toilet paper.

But neither of Abilene's two locally-owned grocery stores — Zey's and West's Country Mart — have been hit by any kind of shortage yet.

Manager of of West's Country Mart Chris West said he is aware of the shortage, but that it has not hit his store yet.

The culprit, according to West, is not a shortage of toilet paper but a shortage of corrugated cardboard boxes.

"They're not able to get the stuff to make it or the supplies to make it I guess," he said. "All our updates say is it's corrugated cardboard (that is in short supply)."

West noted that the shortage had prompted some larger chains to start clamping down on customer purchases of certain items again, but he did not predict it would be an issue for local shoppers.

"Our warehouses are actually limiting the number a week of cases we can order, but as far as us having a shortage here in Abilene? We've got tons of it up there," he said, gesturing at shelves stacked to the ceiling with paper products. "So we will be able to hold on for a while and we're not limiting anybody to anything yet."

West said there were no plans to impose limits on customers anytime in the near future.

Owner of Zey's Vicki Zey said she had not even heard of a shortage yet, much less been impacted by it.

"I've got toilet paper everywhere," she said. "I've got it all over the walls."

Zey said her shop was not suffering from any shortages at this time. While Zey's has had times during the COVID-19 pandemic where Zey couldn't get something or another that she usually has in stock, that's not going on right now.