Guelph distillery frustrated with glass bottle shortage
A distillery in Guelph is one of many dealing with a glass bottle shortage.
"Typically we take two or three weeks to get an order of bottles," said JD Dixon, the president of Dixon's Distilled Spirits. "It's now taking six to eight months."
Adding to that, shipping costs have spiked.
The problem, in part, is that some countries have halted production.
"Production has been shut down because we're seeing lockdowns due to COVID-19 in countries like China," said Mike von Massow, a food economist at the University of Guelph. "Kind of a perfect storm of impacts that are affecting glass bottles."
JD Dixon, president of Dixon's Distilled Spirits. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV Kitchener)
And it's not just the bottles that are a problem.
Dixon's is also having a hard time getting boxes, labels and seals.
"As we speak today, we ran out of [bottle] caps," he told CTV News. "We're using our non-traditional caps to fill the void."
Dixon says the higher costs will have to be passed onto consumers.
"Our bottle went up 53 per cent in the last six months, so we can't absorb that anymore," he said. "We have to pass that along."
Experts don't expect the glass bottle shortage to be permanent, but aren't sure when it will end.
"From now until as long as Christmas, we may not be able to find our favourite alcoholic beverage, beer from a craft brewery, if that company continues to have trouble getting access to product," said von Massow.
His advice to consumers? Return your empties.
"If we have a bunch of deposit glass, alcohol bottles, beer bottles, that sort of thing in our garages, that we've been slow to return, we can help that process a little bit by getting them out of our garages and back into the system."
While Dixon's has had a tough time getting bottles, their shelves are stocked – for now.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.