I was reading today, that there are great problems regarding the export from China with container ships.
The flow of goods is uttering.
This causes problems in all countries and their industrial productions.
If there is ONE important part missing to manufacture a complex device it can not be produced.
There is no stock of parts.
All “on demand”
Will there be a real shortage in the near future
Correct we live in a complex supply chain with just-in-time and little stock.
However we also contain locally skills and resources to not cause a real problem… We want those good quality fair price Chinese parts, and China wants to sell them. Between all of these we’ll be fine.
Apart from food, we all can quite easily get by with what we already own for months, to years. Even longer if we share the excess. Let me put this way, my wife can tolerate only owning 20 shoes for a year, I’m sure. 
The UK has had a few stockpiling episodes with “no deal Brexit” threat risks, so UK probably has stocked up more than most.
Where we won’t be fine is if a rumour begins of something running out, then we all go and buy it and so cause the problem.
Shop Manager: These potted plants are not selling well.
Shop Assistant: Well why don’t we just put out a couple and say “only 1 each” then everyone will take 1 even though they don’t really want it.
Shop Manager: that’s a good idea, but how do we get people to come to the shop?
Shop Assistant: I know I’ll publish a photo of an empty shelf on Facebook.
Shop Manager: Brilliant!
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