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The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association has locked out more than 700 supervisors at ports throughout British Columbia. At the same time, a strike at the Port of Montreal, the biggest port in eastern Canada, continues to cause problems. The strike has already led to partial closures, affecting 40% of the port’s container traffic. Shipping delays could quickly add up, potentially disrupting important international shipments and creating significant economic challenges for global businesses and consumers.

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Major African cocoa plants in Ivory Coast and Ghana have reduced processing chocolate due to inability to purchase beans. These two countries together contribute nearly 60% of the world's cocoa production. Rising temperatures and weather conditions have stressed and damaged these crops in West Africa, and this halt is anticipated to lead to a surge in chocolate prices globally. Following three years of little cocoa harvests- and another three anticipated- chocolate manufacturers have already raised prices for consumers, with chocolate prices doubling over the last year and rising to all-time highs.