East Coast dock strike reignites panic buying fears
The ongoing dockworkers' strike at ports on the East Coast of the USA, which began in early October, has sparked panic buying. Americans have started purchasing large quantities of toilet paper and kitchen rolls, fearing supply shortages. This has only worsened the situation, leading to empty shelves.
CNN reports that toilet paper shortages in American shops are bringing back memories of the pandemic. Although the empty shelves are not a direct result of Tuesday’s strike at the ports, customers' compulsive behaviour, which the media have already termed "panic buying," has led to shortages.
Hundreds of photos from American shops appeared on social media on Tuesday, showing empty shelves where toilet paper and kitchen rolls ought to be.
One user on X, posting a photo of empty shelves at a local Walmart in Virginia, commented that toilet paper had vanished again. Another user on X reported that Costco and Target in Monmouth County, New Jersey, are out of kitchen roll, and many customers are panicking, recalling the shortages from 2020. This has triggered a chain reaction, following the principle of a "self-fulfilling prophecy."
Dockworkers' strike at the ports
Authorities maintain that the dockworkers' strike at ports from Maine to Texas does not affect the availability of these products in shops. Over 90% of toilet paper in the USA comes from domestic factories, with the remainder typically arriving from Canada and Mexico by land, not sea.
The American Forest and Paper Association, which represents paper manufacturers, has expressed concerns about the potential impact of the strike on exports but not on imports. According to CNN, the strike is more likely to result in a surplus of toilet paper than a shortage.
Nevertheless, people fearing shortages have started to stockpile, remembering the challenges of 2020 when shops imposed purchase limits.
The strike at the ports will likely lead to shortages, but this will primarily affect goods the United States imports, such as bananas, highlight the source.
