Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. shoppers have encountered the effects of everything from supply chain disruptions to pandemic-related labor constraints which have led to more and more pronounced grocery store shortages. Retailers from Walmart (WMT) to Kroger (KR), Costco (COST), and more have all reported similar issues at times over the past two years. But shoppers in some parts of the U.S. still enjoy seemingly full normal-looking storefronts and product varieties. The sight of bare shelves confronts some shoppers on their latest grocery run.

This issue has now become not just a hot-button political topic of the day. It may also feed into how the midterm elections play out later this year since anger at these shortages feeds into how people feel about the economy overall. Along these lines, one publication recently polled its readers to get a sense of the grocery shortages that are frustrating them the most. And we’ve got all the details below.

Staffing shortages resulting from a surge in Omicron cases and the recent winter storm that hit the several Rust Belt States earlier this week have compounded concerns over the availability of food supplies. Many grocery aisles in the Denver metro area are filled with empty shelves and disappointed customers.

It’s a concern shared by Sylvain Charlebois, director of Agrifood Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. According to him, access to food will be a challenge this winter. “I am concerned about our nation’s food security,” Charlebois said. “Consumers should adjust expectations when they walk into a grocery store. They should expect more empty shelves (and) delays.”