Aldi Has 8 Essentials to Help You Prep for the Port Strike

The biggest supply chain interruption most Americans have ever seen was during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So it's no surprise those are the supplies people are grabbing off shelves — but the dockworker strike will impact a different set of goods.

The International Longshoremen's Association dockworker strike started on Oct. 1 and has brought operations from 36 ports to a standstill, ranging from Maine to Texas all along the eastern coast of the U.S.

If contract agreements are unable to be reached regarding wages and automation practices, it might get harder to stretch your Aldi budget .

Read on to find out what products will be the hardest to find.

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1. Bananas

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: $0.11 each (estimated)

Roughly 75% of the nation's bananas arrive through East Coast ports, and the difficulty of storing the highly perishable fruit makes it difficult to reroute them through other transportation methods.

Aldi produce prices can vary by location but haven't yet been hit with increases. Fresh bananas might be difficult to find in the upcoming weeks.

2. Shrimp

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: Varies by location

Several types of seafood are predominantly imported from other countries, including shrimp. Aldi offers frozen wild-caught Gulf shrimp that you'll want to stock up on if you can't do without for a few weeks.

3. Cod

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: Varies by location

Much of the cod supply is imported from Iceland or Canada, but even the Alaskan cod fillets from Aldi will be hard to get on the East Coast if the dockworker strike is lengthy. The frozen fillets are easy to store in your home freezer, so you might want to stock up while supplies last.

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4. Alcohol

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: Varies by type and location

Your favorite adult beverages might be hard to find in the upcoming weeks if they aren't produced domestically. Wine, beer, and other spirits imported from Europe, South America, or the Caribbean will likely be impacted. Luckily, there are plenty of American-made options to soften the blow.

5. Cherries

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: Varies by location

Cherry season is largely from June to July, but imports allow the fruit to be available most of the year. That may not be the case this year if the dockworkers strike lasts more than a week.

6. Avocados

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: $0.95 each (estimated)

The price of avocados varies by location and type, but many are imported from other countries. Florida avocados will be in higher demand, meaning the price could increase significantly the longer the dockworkers strike continues.

7. Grapes

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: Varies by location

The U.S. is ranked sixth highest in grape exportation, but the temporary shutdown of Eastern shipping ports could still impact availability. Fewer grapes on the shelves could mean a price increase if demand remains the same.

8. Chocolate

Courtesy of Aldi

Price: Varies by type

Aldi is known for a wide selection of European chocolates, but it could prove difficult to continue importing during the strike closing the East Coast shipping ports. If you love the Choceur brand sweets always available at Aldi, you'll want to stock up now. Otherwise, you may be stuck with Hershey for a while.

Bottom line

More than 45,000 union workers from 36 shipping ports are currently on strike, which is likely to cause the biggest supply chain interruption since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, toilet paper and hand soap will not be hard to find this time.

Imported food will probably be the first noticeable impact. However, other products will be impacted if the strike continues for over a week.

Electronics, pharmaceuticals, car parts, and machinery parts are heavily imported goods.

Unavailability could have noticeable effects well into the holiday season if negotiations between the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance cannot reach a mutual contract agreement.

Savvy shoppers will want to purchase any must-have toys or electronics intended for Christmas now to save money on shopping.

Even if the strike ends prior to Thanksgiving, the ripple effect could cause price disruptions throughout the year.

Money tips that can work for everyone

No matter what your bank account balance is, there's always an opportunity to optimize and improve your finances. Here's a quick checklist of things you can look at today.

Focus on paying off your debt. Debt can hold you back from making progress with your overall financial well-being. Aside from cutting expenses, there are tools that can help you pay off debt faster like balance transfer credit cards and debt counseling.

Earning extra income can give you breathing room. If finances are tight, earning some extra money to supplement your income can make a huge difference. A new job is one option to consider, but if you're not ready to make a big change or already retired, a part-time side job could be a better choice.

Cut your expenses. It sounds painful and so not fun, but it doesn't have to be. Take a look at your biggest expenses because that's where you'll probably find the biggest savings. For example, auto insurance rates have been soaring so shopping around for a new insurance company can be the fastest way to cut your bill. Also, look for ways to cut your grocery bill (despite rising inflation).