More than two years after the pandemic, supply chains are still snarled. Shipping times remain at record highs. Baby food, tampons, and semiconductors are all scarce. Companies are still struggling to answer a basic question: just when will all of this end? But one thing seems clear: after years of anxious speculation, the structure of the world’s supply chains have fundamentally changed.

On this week’s Money Talks, hosts Soumaya Keynes, Mike Bird and Alice Fulwood go on a journey to find out what’s still leading to delays and investigate the big shifts that will continue long after shelves are finally full. They’re joined by Audrey Ross, import and export compliance manager at Orchard Custom Beauty and Chris Rogers, principal supply chain economist at Flexport, who talk about the factors that are still gumming up delivery of goods. Then, Michael Wax, co-founder of Forto, explains why digitising the industry could help speed up shipping times. Finally, our US business editor Charlotte Howard unpacks what all of this will mean for supply chains in the future and why the old system might be finished.

Sign up for our new weekly newsletter dissecting the big themes in markets, business and the economy at www.economist.com/moneytalks 

For full access to print, digital and audio editions, subscribe to The Economist at www.economist.com/podcastoffer

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.