A paper shortage is looming for the U.S. economy, according to a new report. The global supply chain crisis is creating problems in the pulp and paper sector, one of the world’s largest industries. This could result in diminished supplies of toilet paper, product labeling, bank statements, and even election ballots. Paper demand is up by more than 100 percent year-over-year, according to the Thomas Index Report for the week of March 21. Household paper products surged by 5.4 percent in February, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The biggest problem has been the industrial transition to cardboard production instead of paper output. The immense shift led to approximately 2.5 million metric tons of paper capacity in North America going offline since early 2021. As a result, this could lead to a decline in inventories of a wide range of consumer paper products, affecting a broad array of …