Empty shelves at the grocery store and jaw-dropping prices at the checkout counter – this is a reality not only in the world's remote emerging nations where you might expect it but also in cities throughout what was supposed to be the most prosperous nation on the planet.

Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and a slew of American grocery stores are facing one supply chain 'hiccup' after another, and it's wreaking havoc not only on their bottom line but on the consumers as well.

Remember the toilet paper shortage from March 2020? Of course you do, and it's coming back now. Market research firm IRI found that paper product sales are up 8%. Paper products, including toilet paper, were discovered to be only 86% in stock, and it's only getting worse.

It's not just about paper products. Overall, IRI found that roughly 11% of U.S. retail store items remain out of stock, which is much higher than the normal pre-pandemic range of 5% to 7%.