When you finally do your grocery run, you might notice that your list is shrinking. You’re not imagining it; more and more foods are slowly disappearing from the shelves and there’s a lot going on than just supply chain issues. Here are the 10 grocery staples that are slowly fading away and the real reasons why.
10. Avocados
Avocados could soon disappear in your grocery store (or on your list) if their prices skyrocket as a result of the proposed tariffs. Mexico is expected to be charged with a 25% tariff, and a whopping 90% of all our avocados come from this country, as per National Public Radio. If you’re willing to pay more, it’s not going to be a huge problem.
9. Artisan Cheeses
Higher milk prices and climate-related dairy shortages are hurting the cheese industry, particularly the producers of artisan cheeses. Aged cheeses also require a huge investment, and businesses are having trouble justifying the operating costs of waiting on a six-year cheddar, when other types of cheeses can be available in a matter of weeks.
8. Canned Tuna
Canned tuna often features skipjack or yellowfin, and while the former is still resilient, it can become vulnerable when fishing is not managed properly. Meanwhile, yellowfin in Indian Ocean is reportedly overfished and scientists have described the stock to be in critical condition. High value and global demand will only increase the pressure on yellowfin tuna from here on out.
7. Peanut Butter
Peanut plants require up to five months of fairly consistent weather conditions (warmth and rain), and so the yields can also be threatened by climate-related issues. In 2024, the decline in yields was attributed to the impact of Hurricane Helene. Droughts can also make growing peanut plants more expensive, increasing the risk of aflatoxin (fungus-related contamination).
6. Strawberries
This popular staple may be harder to come by because of (again) climate change. As discussed in a study from the University of Waterloo, strawberries could see a significant reduction of 40% if temperatures rise by 3 degrees Fahrenheit. This could potentially threaten California farms, where over 80% of our fresh strawberries come from.
5. Sugar
It happened in 2023 and it could happen again—the global sugar market faced a 2% drop in production triggered by droughts in India. Up until now, the country is still dealing with lower-than-expected sugarcane production, reduced sugar output, and increased prices. Similarly, extreme weather events could wreak havoc on the US sugar industry.
4. Orange Juice
Are you ready to let go of something so refreshing? The slow disappearance of orange juice is partly because of inflation. Other contributing factors include the tariffs against Mexico and Canada that would make international oranges more expensive. Even more worrying is the fact that the biggest orange producers now have decreasing yields due to a crop disease called citrus greening.
3. Beef
Beef prices in the US are soaring due to historically low levels of cattle inventories. We’re seeing the smallest US beef herd since 1951 and it continues to drop due to additional factors like high feed costs and droughts. In January alone, beef prices increased by 5.5%. So the question is: to beef or not to beef?
2. Coffee
We won’t ask; this one is so hard to let go! But you still have to prepare because two of the world’s largest coffee producers, Brazil and Ethiopia, are already seeing a decline in harvests. Coffee is at risk not just because of climate change but also due to pests and diseases like coffee leaf rust. Arabica is especially vulnerable to weather changes.
1. Eggs
The US is now asking Denmark: “Could you spare us some eggs?” This is due to the ongoing egg shortage caused by avian flu, leading the price to soar beyond $8 a dozen. In an article by The Guardian, The Danish Egg Association shared that there’s no surplus of eggs in Europe, and there’s currently a shortage of eggs everywhere on a global scale.