There have been no reports of food shortages – or anything else affecting supermarket shelves – or petrol in France, unlike in the UK.

But if you’re in the market for a new car, or planning renovation work on your home, you are likely to feel the effects.

These are the industries currently suffering from shortages, and what they mean for you.

Car industry

Most people had never heard the word “semiconductor” until recently, but now it’s inescapable. You never know what you have until it’s gone.

These microchips are essential for everything in modern vehicles from anti-lock braking systems to airbags to parking assistance technology. But a global semiconductor shortage has put the industry on hold, especially as car manufacturers must compete with other industries including smartphones and games consoles for the chips.

Last month, European new car sales fell to their lowest level for a month of September since 1995 as a global shortage of semiconductors hit supply. Sales in France were down by a fifth compared to September 2020.

The result has been factories on hold and subcontractors having to put workers on furlough, meaning buyers are having to wait longer for their cars to be ready, often up to six months.

French manufacturer Renault, meanwhile, has begun selling its Clio, Captur and Arkan models without the option of wing mirrors which fold in electronically, L’Argus reported earlier this month. Buyers have been told to bring their vehicles to a workshop to have the electric mirrors installed once the components are ready.

Disruption to the supply of new cars has had a knock-on effect on the used car market, too, as more people look to buy second-hand, and fewer people trade in their old cars, meaning you could have to pay more for a used vehicle.

Construction

In the construction industry, disruption to supply has combined with a rising demand for home renovations to lead to a steep rise in prices and concerns over potential delays to building work. If you are planning to undertake building work on your home, you may have to pay more for the job and wait longer than usual.

A study by the Confederation of Crafts and Small Building Companies (Capeb) last month found that 57 percent of small building companies had noticed disruptions to supplies, and 76 percent reported a rise in prices.

Capeb president Jean-Christophe Repon told Libération that “nobody is guaranteeing a quote price for more than six months anymore”.

Among the materials affected are steel, copper, PVC, and timber. The timber industry has had to raise prices by 8 to 15 percent in the past year, Repon told Ouest France, “and even up to 20 percent for timber-framed houses”.

READ ALSO French building boom leads to shortage of builders for property renovation projects

Decorations

It’s not just large building sites or significant home improvement projects which have been affected – it has also become more difficult to find the little things to spruce up your home.

In line with trends in its stores across the globe, Ikea France confirmed to Les Echos on September 27th that 20 percent of its products were missing from its aisles. Of that, 15 percent concerned smaller articles, while 5 percent referred to furniture. The supply-chain problems are reportedly due to transportation difficulties, from a lack of shipping containers to an insufficient number of lorry drivers.

Since the spring, there have also been regular reports of paint shortages.

Publishing

Unsurprisingly, a shortage of wood also means a shortage of paper. Due to the slowing down of the production of paper pulp, the raw material used to make paper; disruptions to international trade; and the fact more producers are using pulp to make cardboard instead, French publishers are facing increased prices and longer delivery times.

“My father created the Corlet printing company in 1961, and he never saw shortages like the ones we’re experiencing today!” Jean-Luc Corlet, CEO of the family company, told Le Monde.

“The prices have doubled. Shipping times have gone from two to eight weeks,” Wilfried Souchet, commercial director at Riccobono Imprimeur, told Libération.

While there are no price rises on the immediate horizon, this could affect publishers’ ability to reprint books that are selling unexpectedly well, RTL reports.

And while the cost of producing toilet paper has also risen, there are currently no suggestions of a shortage, so there is no reason to go out panic buying.