He explains that the distributors have an inventory several weeks in advance. Consequently, even if a supplier runs out of a product, wholesalers will be able to sell off this stock before its absence is noticed on the shelves.

I had the chance to speak with the actors of the category of feminine hygiene products of each of the wholesalers during the last hours and we do not experience, in Canada and in Quebec, what is experienced on the American side. So there is no shortage situation, indicates Mr. Mousseau in an interview with The Canadian Press. The AQDP supplies the 1,900 pharmacies in Quebec.

By comparison, it took months after the closing of Abbott Nutrition’s baby milk powder production plant in Michigan for the impact to be felt in Quebec, he explains. The factory finally reopened in early June, but that shortage could persist into the summer, according to Abbott Nutrition, which had closed its factory due to contamination.

In the case of feminine hygiene products, the shortages seen in the United States are not due to closures, but rather to the lack of labor and the pandemic.

Production, and consequently inventory, has been impacted by significant labor shortages caused by two outbreaks of Omicron, first at our US manufacturing facility in late 2021, then in early 2022 with a supplier in Canadasaid in an email a spokesperson for Edgewell, the American multinational behind several brands of feminine hygiene products, including ob and Playtex tampons.

The multinational expects a return to normal in the coming weeks. We have been operating our manufacturing facilities around the clock to replenish inventoryadds the spokesperson.

The Jean Coutu Group has confirmed by email that a type of feminine hygiene product, namely the tampon without applicator, which is notably distributed by Edgewell, has been withdrawn from the market by the supplier.

From time to time, out of 15,000 different products, the manufacturer does not have such a format or offers another, specifies Mr. Mousseau. It exists in all categories of drugs and products, but we don’t have a situation like the one that exists on the American side.

Protection shortages

However, with the announcement of the American shortage, Mr. Mousseau fears that demand will rise. As with toilet paper at the start of the pandemic, people might rush to stock up.

Jacques Renaud, professor at the Faculty of Business Administration at Laval University, describes this as protection shortages.

Without specifically talking about feminine hygiene products, supply chains are under severe strain these days, according to Professor Renaud.

With the raw material supply problems combined with the factories that had to be closed during the last wave [de COVID-19]many industries have not recovered very well and are late to replenish inventory across the supply chainhe explains.

He adds that the battle on the markets for materials such as cotton, plastic and certain cardboard packaging products is raging, which can affect the availability and price of products.

If we talk about plastic and cotton, they have been used extensively in medical safety products. The United States has failed to be self-sufficient [à ce chapitre] in the last few yearshe explains.

If we add to this the closure of certain international ports during the pandemic and the increase in the cost of gasoline, which affects carriers a lot, the industry accumulates tile over tilesays Professor Renaud.