Panic buying returns: East Coast dock strike sparks toilet paper rush
The strike of dockworkers at ports on the East Coast of the United States, ongoing since the beginning of October, has become a pretext for "panic buying." Americans have compulsively started purchasing toilet paper and paper towels out of fear of supply restrictions. This behavior has only exacerbated the problem, leaving shelves genuinely empty.
8:27 AM EDT, October 3, 2024
CNN writes that toilet paper shortages in American stores evoke memories of the pandemic. While empty shelves do not directly result from Tuesday's strike at the ports, customers' compulsive behaviors, which the media has already labeled panic buying, have led to these shortages.
Hundreds of photos from American stores appeared on social media on Tuesday, showing empty shelves where toilet paper and paper towels should be.
One user on X shared a picture of empty shelves in a local Walmart in Virginia and wrote that toilet paper had vanished from the shelves again. Another user on X reported that at Costco and Target in Monmouth County, NJ, there is a shortage of paper towels, causing many customers to panic and recall the shortages of 2020. According to the "self-fulfilling prophecy" principle, this has fueled an avalanche.
Strike of dockworkers at ports
The authorities assert 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 U.S. comes from domestic factories, and the rest typically arrives by land from Canada and Mexico, not by sea.
The American Forest and Paper Association, representing paper producers, has expressed concerns about the possible impact of the strike on exports but not on imports. CNN notes that the strike may contribute to a surplus rather than a shortage of toilet paper.
Despite this, people, fearing shortages, have started stockpiling, recalling the difficulties of 2020 when stores imposed purchase limits.
The port strike will likely lead to shortages, but this will primarily affect goods that the United States imports, such as bananas and service notes.
