Global supply shortages mean costs are currently rising for consumers -- but what's the long-term outlook?

"Supply chains differ in terms of product form, size, weight, distance, transportation mode, number of firms in the chain, functions performed, dollar values, cost drivers, materials, demand patterns, competition and more," says Tim Hawkins, an associate professor in UNT's G. Brint Ryan College of Business. "Any one of these facets can affect one supply chain but not another at any point in time, meaning supply chains are nuanced and temporal."

That means, he says, consumers will likely pay the price across various industries. Home values are soaring, as demand has increased -- but the supply of construction workers and building materials have dwindled. Restaurants are dealing with the depletion of their most-desired items, from Chick-fil-A sauce to Starbucks' baked goods. And retailers are struggling to fulfill demand for everything from big-ticket items like cars and appliances to incidentals like liquor (not to mention semiconductor shortages that have further chipped away at the supply chain).

Here, our UNT experts delve into what these shortages mean for many industries -- and what consumers can expect moving forward.