CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The ongoing port strike is causing people to begin panic buying toilet paper, and it is reminding us of 2020 all over again.
That's not a coincidence, Neighborhood News Reporter Fernando Arevalo spoke with Erin Blaugrund, a College Professor of Marketing at New Mexico State University, who says panic buying has become part of consumer buying patterns post-pandemic. Many will bulk to ensure they have enough during times of perceived scarcity.
“People will engage in this kind of mixture of fear of control of what they want and what they need," says Erin Blaugrund, who is also a Director of the Center for Business Ethics. "The other piece of it is that people have this anticipation that there could be a shortage. They feel they might not be able to find something like toilet paper because that is what they dealt with during the pandemic.”
Human beings require a sense of control during times of uncertainty, such as not knowing when the ongoing port strike will end. One sense of control is buying brands they feel attached to. During times of uncertainty, people may rush to get the brand they like, instead of something off-brand. Once an item like toilet paper, runs out, people will try to look for substitutes or the next best thing.
Erin says, that after the pandemic people developed more of a 'Herd Mentality', also as known as a 'Fear of Missing Out' mentality (FOMO). When this occurs, seeing others stockpile can create the social pressure to do the same, and will panic buy making sure they don't miss out, and causing further shortage. Social media outlets, can also create that sense of urgency and encourage others.
“They see what everyone else is doing, and they want to be a part of that heard. They wanna be part of that group and be engaging in the same thing.”
So does the port strike affect those of us here in the Coastal Bend? In a statement we received from H-E-B, they say most of their products are not impacted by the strike. Their stores are receiving ships and are in a strong position that allows them to continue and restock shelves throughout the day. In regards to toilet paper, it is produced domestically, and HEB stores receive shipments daily.
