Dockworkers' strike ignites toilet paper panic across USA
The ongoing dockworkers' strike at East Coast ports in the USA, which began in early October, has sparked a shopping panic. Americans have been compulsively buying toilet paper and paper towels, fearing supply shortages. This behavior has only worsened the situation, leading to emptied shelves.
8:56 AM EDT, October 3, 2024
CNN writes that toilet paper shortages in American stores bring back memories of pandemic times. Although the empty shelves are not a direct result of the strike at the ports, compulsive buying behavior—dubbed "shopping panic" by the media—has led to shortages.
Hundreds of photos surfaced on social media on Tuesday, showing empty shelves where toilet paper and paper towels should be.
One user on X shared a photo of empty shelves at a local Walmart in Virginia, commenting that toilet paper has disappeared again. Another user on X reported that Costco and Target in Monmouth County, NJ, are out of paper towels, causing many customers to panic as they recall the shortages of 2020. This has fueled a chain reaction, aligning with the "self-fulfilling prophecy" concept.
Dockworkers' strike at the ports
Authorities emphasize that the dockworkers' strike at ports from Maine to Texas does not affect the availability of these products in stores. Over 90% of toilet paper in the USA is produced domestically, and the remainder typically arrives from Canada and Mexico by land, not by sea.
The American Forest and Paper Association, representing paper producers, has expressed concerns about the potential impact of the strike on exports but not on imports. According to CNN, the strike may lead to a surplus rather than a shortage of toilet paper.
Nonetheless, fearing shortages, people have started stockpiling, remembering the difficulties of 2020 when stores imposed purchase limits.
The strike at the ports will likely cause shortages, but according to the report, this will primarily affect goods that the United States imports, such as bananas.
