Why is toilet paper running out in the face of the pandemic?

The pandemic of coronavirus (COVID-19) It has already reached up to 159 countries, infecting more than 180,000 people. As a result of this pandemic, a real economic and social crisis has been created, and its consequences, although clearly devastating, are still unpredictable.

In this article, however, we will focus on explaining a curious social phenomenon that is taking place as a result of all this crisis, that affects purchases and that has to do with the "collective madness" that is being established in practically all countries. And it is that toilet paper is running out. It sounds like a bad joke, but it isn't. Why does the toilet paper run out?

We are going to respond to this social phenomenon and also, we will discover its similarities with the phenomenon of bank panic.

• Related article: "The 16 types of fear and their characteristics"

Why is toilet paper running out due to fear of the coronavirus?

Why is toilet paper running out these pandemic days? The reality is that it is not that there is a shortage of toilet paper, but that people fear running out of it, for fear that others will accumulate it.

The result, many end up accumulating the paper (more than they need), which has the direct consequence that many others are left without it. And so, it is like a fish that bites its tail; "I accumulate, but others also, because they fear that I accumulate."

The phenomenon actually works like the one that occurs in banks (that is, in the face of the bank panic of losing our money, which we will discuss in more detail later). In this way, the “phenomenon of the depletion of toilet paper” affects us all, but it is a fact that not all of us are left without it, since many people accumulate it, and therein lies the error.

This also affects people who are not scared by the coronavirus pandemic, but who are nevertheless concerned because other people are scared or worried, which causes us to accumulate toilet paper (for fear of not having it available anymore go ahead).

In this way, trying to answer the question of why the toilet paper runs out, we know that this occurs because, wanting to avoid running out of it, we end up buying more.

How do we act and why?

Basically what many people do is run to get their toilet paper, with that "panic" to run out him, created in a totally irrational way (as if we were going to die for not being able to dry our asses with paper). This is reinforced by the fact that the toilet paper packages are quite bulky, so that their shortage is striking, by leaving large empty spaces on store shelves.

They go to the supermarket and get their paper, but not just a "pack" of six, or twelve, but several packs. someone else comes (who wants to also accumulate their five "packs") and "steal" it, or let them go another day and there is no "pack" left.

A) Yes, we act totally irrational (albeit with some sense), fearing that someone else will run (just like us) to the store to get the accumulation of paper from him, and leave nothing for us. Read like that, it sounds pretty absurd doesn't it?

What happens then? That we get our longed-for role, not so much out of fear that it will run out due to lack of resources, as consequence of the uncertain moment that we are living due to the epidemic... but for the simple and unique Reason why we fear that others will get it before us (and finish it).

• You may be interested: "What is social psychology?"

Result of this dynamic of fear

The result of all this explanation to the question of why the toilet paper runs out is, logically, the arrival of images that many of us have seen throughout these days on the networks and other platforms: shelves in shops and supermarkets, where the paper should be, empty.

What happen? That in turn, these images end up penetrating us, and awaken us a certain feeling of "anxiety" that makes us enter "Panic", causing us to quickly go for our beloved (at that moment in our head, even essential!) hygienic.

Extreme situations

We could say that In practically all countries the sale of toilet paper has skyrocketed, and even, Australia recently experienced an extreme situation; According to the BBC, a person pulled out a knife in the supermarket during a dispute over the blissful toilet paper.

Situation of normality vs. Collective "crisis"

In this way, analyzing why toilet paper runs out, we observe two types of totally antagonistic situations:

1. Normal times

People believe that there will be toilet paper and that no one will store “extra” amounts of it. Therefore their purchases are "normal" (proportionate, rational, meaningful ...).

2. Times of panic

People fear not having access to paper, that is, that it will run out. They fear the shortage of the product, which causes them to accumulate it. This, in turn, creates shortages, and everything becomes a vicious cycle..

Similarities to bank panic

In this way, for all that has been explained, we see why the toilet paper runs out, and we also find a parallel between the situation of depletion of toilet paper and the bank or financial panic.

Thus, the situation of bank panic (also called bank stampede, bank run or bank siege, and in English "bank run" or "run on the bank ”) consists of a social phenomenon whereby a large part of a bank's clients withdraw their money en masse, and in a short period of time weather.

This withdrawal of money is made for fear of being unable to withdraw the money in the near future, and this fear is born by bank insolvency (since banks only have a certain amount of money in their accounts).

The massive withdrawal of money, generally appears due to the anticipation of a financial crisis or banks, although another possible cause is a change in the country's economic policy in question. There are, but, more possible causes in this regard (although less likely).

As we can see, the same thing happens in the bank panic as in the toilet paper situation: there is a fear of not have something, which creates the "urgency" to have it (also, in the form of "accumulation", just in case), what generates a shortage of the product, which ends up not reaching all customers (or people) who really need it.

Thus, we can talk about similarities in the reasons that explain why toilet paper runs out, and why money runs out in banks in situations of this type.

Rational or irrational behavior?

Thus, the answer to why toilet paper runs out in this pandemic, Can it allude to rationality or logic? Or rather to the "collective madness"? Surely the second option; Although it is clear that we buy "more" to avoid running out "without", the basis of all this is quite irrational.

In relation to this issue, according to experts, it is rational for people to prepare (at the level psychological, material level, etc.) in the face of a negative situation that is occurring (or that is about to to get). However, what is no longer rational is to acquire an exaggerated number and disproportionate of products; that already goes beyond mere supply.

All this without mentioning the lack of solidarity and selfishness of the people that we find at the base of this type of behavior (although sometimes they can arise in an “unconscious” way).

The consequences of buying in a panic

As we have seen, behaviors of this type (shopping craze) worsen shortages and fuel "collective madness" in which we have submerged little by little without realizing it.

In addition, storing products irrationally and disproportionately can lead to price speculation by companies. companies, according to Steven Taylor, clinical psychologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, author of "The Psychology of Pandemics ”.

What would happen then? According to Taylor, if the price of toilet paper were to skyrocket, we would begin to see this product as a rare commodity, which could further increase our anxiety and our impulsiveness when buying this or other similar products.

In fact, these price increases have already occurred in various products since the arrival of the coronavirus (COVID-19); An example is the masks, which were marketed for prices of up to $ 100 per unit on platforms such as eBay.

Bibliographic references:

• Heffernan, S (2003). The causes of bank failures. Mullineux AW, Murinde V, ed. Handbook of international banking. Edward Elgar. pp. 366-402.