Lingering global supply-chain challenges resulting in months-long wait for appliances

When Amy Studholme visited The Brick shortly after Boxing Day last year, she wouldn't have imagined that nearly one year later, she'd still be without the appliances she ordered...

According to the Retail Council of Canada, ongoing global supply-chain challenges are resulting in some retailers reporting that the situation has become worse, with product delays, shortages and higher prices...

Appliance shortages as a result of global supply-chain issues and booming demand first popped up around this time last year. The situation has not yet improved, said Michelle Wasylyshen, spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada.

"First, for a whole range of products, parts are often sourced overseas. As COVID outbreaks happen, different countries adapt different policies and this can severely impact the global supply chain," she said in an emailed statement.

"We've seen this in China and Vietnam, where ports were shut down for weeks as COVID outbreaks were dealt with.  Other challenges include increased freight and shipping costs, as well as unusual consumer demand patterns and pent-up demand for certain products around the world."...

This was excerpted from the 6 October 2021 edition of CBC News.