Despite a viral tweet, there isn't a shortage of Goya canned beans after boycott backlash — there's a shortage of beans everywhere

• A Twitter photo apparently showing an item limit on Goya products at Publix has caused a social media frenzy.
• Some Twitter users touted it as proof that a conservative push to buy Goya products had succeeded over a liberal-led boycott of the brand after its CEO made comments in support of President Trump.
• However, item limits have been commonplace at grocery stores, especially in canned goods aisles, since the beginning of the pandemic.
• Canned goods, especially beans, have seen unprecedented demand, and grocery stores have been having a hard time keeping them in stock.
• There's also a nationwide shortage of beans — US production of dry beans dropped by 16% last year, according to the USDA.

Grocery canned goods aisles have become an unexpected political battleground after Goya CEO Robert Unanue praised President Trump last Thursday, sparking both backlash and support.

As of Tuesday, Twitter is in a tizzy over a picture of a Publix sign on a shelf of Goya products that reads, "Because of increased demand, customers are limited to two (2) of each item in this section."

Tim Young, the conservative comedian who posted the picture, wrote "The Goya boycott looks like it's working well."

Young's post, which has over 40k likes, has drawn comments from other Twitter users showcasing their Goya purchases. Many users were quick to tout the item limit as a sign that the conservative push to support Goya was succeeding over liberal calls to boycott the brand.

A spokesperson for Publix declined to comment on whether the chain had seen an increase in demand for Goya products, and told Business Insider in an email that "stores may limit in high-demand products in order to best serve their customers."

However, other Twitter users pointed out that item limits have been commonplace in canned goods and other nonperishable grocery aisles since the start of the pandemic.

The item limit sign in the picture posted by Young can be attributed to reasons other than a surge in conservative Americans purchasing Goya products.

There has been a massive uptick in demand for canned goods since the onset of the pandemic, resulting in a nationwide shortage of nonperishable goods. Grocery stores all around the country are struggling to fill shelves completely as supply chains continue to rearrange themselves and consumers continue to buy more of their food from grocery stores.

Beans are especially prone to being out of stock. The beginning of the pandemic saw an unprecedented mad rush for beans — an over 400% increase in demand. Goya's controversial CEO told the New York Times in a March article, "I've seen earthquakes and hurricanes. This is the first time I've seen this."

Suppliers are also currently dealing with a bean shortage due to a meager 2019 bean harvest. According to the USDA 2019 Crop Production Summary, US bean production dropped by 16% last year compared to the year before. That production drop combined with a surge in demand may be a more likely explanation for Publix's item limit sign than