Press Release
New Poll: Voters Expect Supply Chain Woes Will Outlast Holidays, Be on 2022 Ballot
Voters in Key States Support Candidates Who Will Act on Trucking Bottlenecks
ARLINGTON, Va. —Today, the Consumer Brands Association released new polling data that highlights the importance of supply chain issues heading into 2022. In the key states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and New Hampshire, Consumer Brands/Morning Consult polling found that the supply chain is going to be a deciding issue in the 2022 midterm election — and voters expect their elected officials to act on solutions to prevent the next supply chain crisis.
“Once invisible to consumers, the pandemic and holiday shipping crunch have unmasked the supply chain and made it kitchen table conversation,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of Consumer Brands. “Voters have exhausted their patience with years of government inaction, and elected officials can’t afford to lose sight of the supply chain after New Year’s Day.”
Consumers everywhere are experiencing challenges with product shortages due to supply chain slowdowns. Across all four states, a majority of voters say that supply chain issues have had a major or big impact on their ability to get products they need and still more have experienced shortages in grocery stores recently: New Hampshire residents reported the highest rate (75%), followed by Georgia (73%), Arizona (70%) and Nevada (65%).
“There has been significant attention on the ports in recent months, offering a playbook for how government can play a role in easing supply chain pressure,” said Freeman. “However, too much focus on one link in the chain only serves to relocate bottlenecks, not solve problems.”
According to Consumer Brands’ polling, overwhelming majorities in New Hampshire (92%), Arizona (89%), Georgia (89%) and Nevada (89%) feel it is important to expand trucking capacity next year to meet supply chain demands and are highly supportive of a variety of options to grow capacity. When asked about their likelihood of voting for candidates who support key solutions to remove supply chain bottlenecks, voters in all four states offered majority support for every solution.
| More likely to vote for candidates who support… | AZ | GA | NV | NH |
| Creating “air traffic control” to match empty trucks with available loads | 67% | 69% | 68% | 72% |
| Offering Hours of Service flexibility to truck drivers | 69% | 70% | 77% | 66% |
| Allowing reasonable increase in truck weight limits | 57% | 59% | 60% | 54% |
Nearly seven-in-ten (69%) of voters in Arizona and Georgia , respectively, are more likely to back candidates who support options to increase trucking capacity. The same holds true for 68% of voters in Nevada and New Hampshire, respectively.
“Elected leaders have an opportunity to act on the supply chain’s lessons or face challenges at the ballot box,” Freeman concluded. “Weathering this crisis is difficult enough — we shouldn’t have to confront a future crisis that forces consumers to question why their representatives didn’t do more when they had the chance.”
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The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day, representing nearly 2,000 iconic brands. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs.
Published on December 15, 2021
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