Kellogg Stockpiles Pringles In Warehouse To Prevent Brexit Shortage

Brexit's long shadow has recently fallen over Kellogg Co., which is taking measures to prevent a potential Pringles shortage should a "hard" or "no-deal" Brexit disrupt its supply chain. According to Reuters, several food companies are enacting similar steps to brace themselves should Brexit severely complicate European trade or drastically devalue the British pound.

Kellogg says it will open new warehouses to stockpile Pringles, the number-two selling brand of potato chips (er, crisps) in the U.K., in case tariffs and border issues make importation difficult. Because Pringles are produced at a factory in Belgium, Britain's hard exit from the European Union could lead to delays, shortages, and higher prices due to tariffs. Pringles can reportedly last up to 15 months in storage.

Other companies are also wary of what Brexit could mean for the availability of their food products. Said Dirk Van de Put, CEO of multinational food company Mondelez: "Roughly, we're expecting interruptions to product flow for three to four weeks," he told Reuters.

If you're as confused as most of us are by Brexit—a hard vs. soft Brexit, deal or no deal, referendums, etc.—I found John Oliver's explanation cogent:

Oliver notes there have been "warnings of empty shelves" as trade disruptions threaten grocery supply chains, leading some British residents to stock up on shelf-stable, disaster meal kits called Brexit boxes. And Pringles, presumably.