Global supply chains were severely disrupted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic which led to national lockdowns and port closures in many countries, thus restricting the transportation of tradeable goods. Then, as lockdown restrictions were eased from about mid-2020, global demand recovered much faster than anticipated, along with a rapid depletion of inventories, with shortages occurring due to long delays at ports, the displacement of freight containers and, in some instances, shortages of labour such as truck drivers (UNCTAD, 2021). South Africa, as a small open economy, similarly experienced supply chain disruptions and shortages of some imported goods.