Attention all retail customers!

I dont know why these dumb asses buy all the toilet paper.. Maybe its the cure?

That isn't true.

You don't want to get infected, even if you will get over it easily, because you could pass it onto a vulnerable person who could die. You are thinking of other people, not yourself, when you are trying not to be infected.

Plus, if you get quarantined for 14 days, and you don't have family or friends to help you, you'll need to have enough stuff to be fine on your own at home.

I admit people are going crazy but it isn't as simple as saying "just go back to normal".

Nobody believes that stockpiling toilet paper is going to make them immune to coronavirus. People are doing that because most toilet paper is made in China, and their manufacturing is going to be frozen for a while.

@Xzi Most toilet paper comes from the U.S. Less then 10% is imported and it's mostly from Mexico and Canada.

It's bullshit like what Xzi is spreading that fuels ridiculous behavior like this.

@SG854 Yeah, I looked it up, and even one of my older brothers was like, "dude, WTF?" on that claim that I may also point out that @Xzi didn't put a source for. Here's some information: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/business/toilet-paper-shortage.html

The Chad SG854 EPICLY DESTROYS the Virgin Xzi with FACTS, LOGIC, and with my contribution, EVIDENCE!

Lol that was just something I had heard, I assumed it was true because I figured there had to be a logical explanation for hoarding TP. Guess logic has nothing to do with it.

I guess people are taking advantage of the panic and then selling TP at increased price.

People really need to think about the potential consequences of what they are saying. Telling people there is nothing to worry about when there is a fucking pandemic happening is irresponsible in the extreme. If you think it’s ok to go about your business as normal because you personally won’t die from it, then you are ignorant to the possibility of transmitting the virus to somebody who will die from it. It’s like telling people they don’t need to wear seatbelts because you are driving a tank.

This has quickly become a global phenomenon and it's really weird. Meanwhile food is still in stock in most places that have been raided of TP. Why toilet paper and not food? I don't understand.

@FGFlann People are definitely stocking up on food too, but everybody eats different stuff, and everybody had different amounts of food stored before the pandemic. TP is a single, universal product (except where bidets are used).

Sure, everyone eats different things but everyone shops at the same places, and you need more food per day than you do toilet paper.

It's more a question of how much toilet paper does one family think they can get through. In a family of four we have one pack of 32 rolls which will last us several months. Meanwhile people are loading up deep shopping carts with as much toilet paper as they can carry, to what end? I'm sure I'm not the only one who sees this behaviour as weird.

@FFGFlann not that the behaviour is good, but it does make sense when you consider each person's reaction to things individually.

The current (or previous) toilet paper supply cycle was sufficient when everyone only ever bought enough toilet paper for their immediate needs.

A few people thought, if I get quarantined for 14 days because I came into contact with an infected person, I won't be able to buy toilet paper (and other things) - therefore I'll buy a little extra.

This upset the regular toilet paper supply cycle - suddenly there was a bit less on the shelf than usual.

Other people saw this and thought, crap, shops are about to be out of toilet paper, I'd better stock up heaps before that happens!

This was a self-fulfilling prophecy because this behaviour DID cause shops to be out of toilet paper.

Now if humans could all work together instead of everyone for themselves, this wouldn't have happened. There would have been plenty for everyone to have just a little extra, but instead since people didn't want to be the ones missing out they took much more than they needed, causing others to miss out who didn't hoard.

Like Xzi said I think the reason this happened with toilet paper is because a) everyone needs it and b) it is such a bulky item that costs so little, supermarkets only stock enough for the regular supply cycle to supply enough for when people are only buying enough for their immediate needs. So as soon as a few people buy extra it is really obvious to others which then causes them to panic and buy loads. You don't see it with most foods as there is so much variety and when one thing has a bit less on the shelves it doesn't look to others like it is running out or anything (lots of things in different aisles and shelves instead of it all on one shelf).

This has actually happened with food here too but it is less covered by the media and meme makers. It is also really hard to buy dried pasta, rice, and flour. I guess cause they're also the sort of thing that are eaten by lots of people and are easy to store.

I do understand the mechanics behind panic-buying, but you'd have to isolate yourself for a month or two at best if you catch the virus. You're not going to convince me that the mentality of buying this specific item over everything else in such ludicrous quantities isn't weirdly noteworthy.

@Quantumcat

I'd put it more like this: "Welcome to Capitalism Club. If this is your first night, you have to consume!"

Drug Dealers now doing TP who would have thought it stupid f**kers they sell it but might need it themselves.