Elsevier

Psychiatry Research

Volume 303, September 2021, 114062
Psychiatry Research

Why did all the toilet paper disappear? Distinguishing between panic buying and hoarding during COVID-19

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114062Get rights and content

Highlights

  • We examined panic buying and hoarding at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

  • Perceived scarcity was the strongest predictor of panic buying.

  • Intolerance of uncertainty was the strongest predictor of hoarding.

  • Buying restrictions imposed by retailers may reduce panic buying.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to panic buying in many countries across the globe, preventing vulnerable groups from accessing important necessities. Some reports inaccurately referred to the panic buying as hoarding. Although hoarding is a separate issue characterised by extreme saving behaviour, the two problems may be influenced by similar factors. Participants from Australia and the United States (final N = 359) completed online self-report measures of panic buying, hoarding, shopping patterns, perceived scarcity, COVID-19 illness anxiety, selfishness, and intolerance of uncertainty. Our findings showed that panic buying was related to hoarding symptoms (r’s = .23 - .36), and yet, both were uniquely associated with different psychological factors. Whilst panic buying was most strongly related to greater perceived scarcity (r’s = .38 - .60), hoarding was most related to a general intolerance of uncertainty (r’s = .24 - .57). Based on our findings, future strategies to prevent panic buying should focus on reducing perceived scarcity cues in the community, as this seems to be the primary driver of panic buying. Another preventative strategy to reduce excessive acquiring and saving may be to implement educational programs to increase people's ability to tolerate distress and uncertainty.

Keywords

Panic buying
Hoarding
Stockpiling
Perceived scarcity
Selfishness
Intolerance of uncertainty
Healthy anxiety

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