Which products are really scarce and expensive

Dusseldorf The gaps in the shelves are getting bigger. 49 percent of those surveyed could not find their desired product in retail in December and January, according to a survey by the management consultancy Oliver Wyman, which is available to the Handelsblatt. The consultants had not expected the problems to be of this magnitude.

“We had already expected clearly noticeable gaps in the shelves, but the fact that almost every second person did not get the product they wanted surprised us too,” says Rainer Münch, retail expert at Oliver Wyman. There were very clear gaps in availability in retail. “Many customers were willing to spend money but just didn’t get what they wanted.”

But which products are actually in short supply, and what impact does that have on prices? A look at previously unpublished data from market researcher GfK shows the details.