Weekly, What recent changes are going on at your work / local businesses?

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riotmanful@reddit

I’m just dropping by to say very little meat is being bought at full price. Meat deliveries are also getting lighter and there is more turning quicker

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existing_for_fun@reddit

Can you explain what you mean?

Is the meat purchased at a reduced price? Or are you saying it's not selling?

Sorry if I misunderstood.

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VariousFalcon7466@reddit

What I believe they’re saying is that people are not buying meat a full price but waiting until it’s being marked down to sell. The deliveries are smaller and the meat goes back quicker than before.

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Ok-Web-2657@reddit

Shrinkflation seems to be hitting everything. I'm looking for refill pads on amazon and it's showing ones with 30 sheets of paper (60 sides) and gaffer tape in 18m rolls.

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My company officially adopted "every AI decision will have a human responsible person" policy, and also replaced all AI-generated photos in our products/demos/test data/promo material with real persons (they did a real shooting with human photographer in the office.

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keinezeit44@reddit

Love this! My agency had to increase pricing on a certain type of deliverable for a big client due to significant scope creep. They got pretty upset and threatened to just have AI do those deliverables. I had serious doubts about AI's ability to even come close to our quality of work. A couple days passed with no incoming orders from them. Suddenly, we started getting them again.

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BadAsBroccoli@reddit

Well, you can't fire AI for screwing up.

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keinezeit44@reddit

Upvoting as a fellow broccoli enthusiast

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writeamemojack@reddit

*IT guy cries in Joy*

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povertyandpinetrees@reddit

Grocery store cashier here.

Produce shortages change by the day. One day no strawberries, then they're back the next day but only a few avocados.

A major ketchup brand is going back to glass bottles. Maybe they're trying to get ahead of plastic shortages?

Dollar Tree has spread some of their merchandise out with more facings to fill the space.

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VariousFalcon7466@reddit

Heinz ketchup in case anyone is wondering

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FattierBrisket@reddit

I noticed that my favorite spaghetti sauce, at Aldi, had switched to glass a few months ago. Kind of cool but very weird.

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NiceGuysFinishLast@reddit

Is it the reggiano stuff? I enjoy the mushroom one.

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fastfood12@reddit

I do my nightly walk around the neighborhood pretty late. I'm in an area with a lot of large subdivisions full of houses. One thing I've noticed is a surprisingly number of tow trucks driving around past 10 pm. This is a complete change from earlier this year. They're going in and out of these subdivisions as if they're looking for vehicles to repo. I've heard that a lot of people are defaulting on their loans, so it makes sense that these trucks are out there. The number of them just in my area that I've seen is cause for concern.

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Ashamed-Knee9084@reddit

I read a random post the other day that the average Americans car payment is $900.

I didn't fact check it, so take it with a grain of salt. But, I recently went car shopping about 4 months ago (thankfully didn't find anything i absolutely loved, so no car payment for me!) Everything wouldve been in the $600+ month range for a modest small suv. So I can totally see the $900/month payments with all the full size suvs and pickup trucks

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existing_for_fun@reddit

I can't imagine.

I paid cash for my car because I hate paying interest.

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chicagotodetroit@reddit

$900

That's INSANE, especially considering they're extending loan terms to 60+ months. I thought my car payment was high at $425. Yikes.

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WithaK19@reddit

I work in the travel industry. Fuel shortages are already causing fares to skyrocket. I quoted an international flight yesterday for $5500. It was $2500 when we quoted it 2 weeks ago. I bet they wish they booked it then!

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TeaPuzzleheaded4745@reddit

There are two grocery stores in the small town near me. One is consistently really well stocked and has the best prices, so I rarely go to the other one, but I did a couple days ago. So many shelves with only one item deep all across the shelf! I had read about that here and was watching for it, but hadn't seen it until today. One entire section that should have had at least 15 different kinds of mayo and spreads was just two types of the same brand, spread out across 5 shelves. Not something that's going to kill anyone obviously, but weird to see in the wild.

In more concerning news, I care for someone who takes daily aspirin at the full strength size, and I went to 3 different stores this week looking for it (including a big box store), and was only able to find bottles that expired in February. Only one store had them discounted, the rest were full price.

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PipelineBertaCoin69@reddit

Our welding shop is very busy

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BadAsBroccoli@reddit

Welding is just a great career.

You can get a trade school two-year degree, additional welding certificates to advance your career and earnings, and possibly apprenticeships for OJT.

Sure, you don't get to sit in stuffy business wear pushing paperwork from one side of a corporate desk to the other for 8-9 hours a day, but you do get to wear that cool welding mask, make a ton of sparks, and actually see what you've accomplished.

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existing_for_fun@reddit

2 points:

First: My SO's employer just laid off a lot of folks. They said more layoffs would be coming in Q4, but these Q2 layoffs took like 10% of the people from many departments. $CNXC. We are preparing for the potential that my SO may be laid off later this year.

Second: Yesterday during my regularly scheduled grocery shopping, the grocer I buy from had changed their shelving for 3 sections. 2 of the long shelves had lost about 10 feet worth of goods each - as in, the shelf sections had been completely removed. It left a big space where they used to be. This is atypical for them and for the last 6 years of shopping there, they have never made changes like this. Then, in multiple sections that did remain on other shelves, there were just blank spaces.

I couldn't find multiple items and I was informed they would no longer carry them. I have noticed over the past few months that their selection is getting thinner.

Not sure if it's an indicator long-term but it's what I'm seeing.

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danjouswoodenhand@reddit

We went to the local Asian supermarket - which isn't just Asian, they have a huge eastern European section as well - and they've added higher shelving and a ton of new stock throughout the store. We were surprised at how much they added, but they have a wider customer base now so they must be doing well.

We did notice prices continually increasing, though.

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DieselPunkPiranha@reddit

I've been seeing the same at a lot of the major grocers for years: a steady reduction in products offered, both, the total and the variety. I try to buy local when I can as it tends to be more consistent, but even that will decline in the near future.

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achtungapril@reddit

In years past, the garden center at my local Walmart would sell out of their outdoor supplies like potting soil and mulch by early May. Now, there are six foot stacks of bagged soil and mulch which they've marked down significantly and still apparently can't sell. I dont know what this is indicative of, but whoever was doing yard work in the past doesn't seem to be spending the money this year.

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ionowl@reddit

Their bagged soil sucks! Big store soil has so much trash mixed in with it that a lot of people are buying local because it’s a better price and less likely to need to sift microplastics or HAMMERS (https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/s/wtRuOVMwvT) out of your bag of soil.

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ionowl@reddit

Their bagged soil sucks! Big store soil has so much trash mixed in with it that a lot of people are buying local because it’s a better price and less likely to need to sift microplastics or HAMMERS (https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/s/wtRuOVMwvT) out of your bag of soil.

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Roboticpoultry@reddit

The previous dealership I worked at seems to be going belly up - cut about half the staff in the last 2 months, me included. But my new shop is fuly booked with service appointments for the next 3 weeks so swings and roundabouts I guess

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VariousFalcon7466@reddit

Maybe all the appointments are people trying to get ahead of oil shortages?

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sleepiestOracle@reddit

I did this and warned my friends too to get theirs done asap

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MindFluffy5906@reddit

Getting the oil changed in the cars on Friday. Was not hard to get an appointment this time. Usually have to look several days in advance for availability. My service comes to the house, I don't go to a shop, so maybe that is the difference?

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Roboticpoultry@reddit

I think a little of that plays into it, I also moved from a luxury brand (Acura) to a more mainstream shop (Hyundai/Kia/Genesis) so maybe it’s just that there’s more of them on the road

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VariousFalcon7466@reddit

That could definitely be it. Kia’s alone probably outnumber Acuras 10 to 1.

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oceanbutter@reddit

Marine and power equipment dealer. There's talk and motion about a shortage of engine oil, and advice to stock up for your next three oil changes for any vehicle or gasoline equipment you use regularly.

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Unique-Sock3366@reddit

I’ve spoken before about how tightly our hospital unit is being run, staffing wise. Hiring freeze has been in place for a very long time now and overtime shifts are offered in abundance, some with additional incentives beyond the regular time and a half.

We’ve recently received budget approval to hire multiple part time night shift positions. The thought, no doubt, is to increase our staffing capabilities while still saving on fringe benefit expenditures. Hopefully this works out well. I don’t know how our night shift colleagues are making it.

We are unfortunately missing some critical, sensitive supplies, one of which is back ordered until the autumn.

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EquivalentMixture213@reddit

As a nurse in a similar situation, I hope everything goes well. And what critical supplies ?

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Unique-Sock3366@reddit

I’m sorry; it’s very specialty specific and too identifying for me to be comfortable to say.

Thank you! Best to you and your colleagues, too.

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Professional-Boss-86@reddit

Could you elaborate on "critical supplies" without giving out your location/identity? I think knowing the supplies in question, even if broadly, might help someone here.

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Unique-Sock3366@reddit

I’m so sorry: I can’t. It’s too identifying because of my specialty.

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Practical_Hippo6289@reddit

Lots of aircraft drills at the local Air Force base yesterday. We're located in the Southeast so if there's some kind of operation in Cuba, seems reasonable that planes taking off from our base would be involved in some way.

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pvssylips@reddit

Interesting considering several news outlets were reporting that the government claims that cuba has "300 drones and plans on using them on mainland American soil". Which is...surprising to me considering the absolutely horrible state the country is in right now. People in the dark, starving, no medical aid in MASS. so don't know that they'd be focusing on that and not blockades, fuel, infrastructure, riots, etc.

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existing_for_fun@reddit

Seems sus as hell to me. I agree, their current state of affairs is not great.

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Cautious_Advantage47@reddit

Sounds like a false flag operation. For Americans, by Americans.

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msfuturedoc@reddit

Yeah I’m getting ‘narcoterrorist bringing all the cocaine from Venezuela’ vibes from these Cuban drone claims

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-Redditeer-@reddit

Hiring to meet demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment parts. All low wage manufacturing. Originally was only temps, moving to direct hire. Dealing with neodymium shortages. Semi parts has ramped exponentially. Aerospace is increasing in orders. Overtime is constantly offered

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Ok-Web-2657@reddit

Lost my job in January as the company I worked at was sold for 10-figures. We were told there would be some redundancies, but after looking on linkedin I'm seeing they gutted the place. I've not seen anyone who has found a new job.

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IncomingAxofKindness@reddit

I'm sorry that happened to you 😔

What field may I ask?

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Ok-Web-2657@reddit

Finance industry adjacent.

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VariousFalcon7466@reddit

From what I’ve heard more patients are asking if they can take food home from the hospital. Packaged sandwiches, pudding, juice, etc.

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Ok-Web-2657@reddit

Turnaround time on orders has dropped significantly.

Placed an order from one specialist provider late Monday evening, chose the free shipping option and it arrived first thing Wednesday.

Partner placed a custom order from a specialist provider for his business that cannot be sent through a courier and has to be delivered by the company themselves (it's glass). It usually takes 2-3 weeks but it was ordered on Friday and delivered on Tuesday.

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OptimisticDoomCat@reddit

Noticed the trend of Tech layoffs recently really targeted Product Managers. I suspect we likely don’t need as many given they don’t code but improve the customer experience and product quality. The trend has been instead of being user centric/focused, the culture and products are shifting more towards create products that are AI driven, clunky, and do it quickly.