Empty shelves might be making a return as economists predict more “panic buying.” But what even is panic buying, and why is it happening again?
“Panic buying” is the phenomenon of shoppers buying extra items in bulk out of fear they’ll soon be out of stock. It led to empty toilet paper and/or disinfectant shelves last year.
Because of the pandemic, experts predict panic buying could return. This could have major impacts for some members of our community.
Low-income people tend to plan their shopping trips according to their paychecks – and can't always afford to shop in bulk. So if the shelves are empty when they go to the store? They’re out of luck.
Hysterically buying must-haves like toilet paper and bread in large quantities can be a normal reaction to living in unique times – but it leaves others at a disadvantage. This isn’t the fault of consumers, but instead of our entire fragile economic system.
We all react to certain situations differently, but panic buying could prevent low-income Black people from accessing necessities. We may feel tempted to stock up, but being flexible and only buying as much as we need for a couple weeks will leave more left for more vulnerable members of our community.