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Attention pizza lovers: COVID-19 making pepperoni harder to come by

(Photo by Shannon O'Hara/Getty Images for Pizza Hut)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ Pizza lovers may soon have to skip the pepperoni.

Pizza shops across the country, according to a report from Bloomberg, are reporting higher prices and a tight supply when it comes to America’s favorite pizza topping.


Two main reasons cited for the pepperoni shortage include the lack of employees at pork processing plants and a high demand for pizza, both of which are likely caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Like many businesses, pork processors have had to lay of hundreds of employees in order to cut costs due to the pandemic, forcing them to streamline operations.

So far, larger pizza chains haven’t been impacted by the shortage since they buy their ingredients through long-term contacts, according to Bloomberg.