One theory from consumer expert Dr Rohan Miller from the University of Sydney is that "We're not used to shortages and scarcity, we're used to being able to pick and choose what we want, when we want. So the rush to get toilet paper is just this sheep mentality to maintain that status
As the novel coronavirus outbreak has swept all over the world, it has been accompanied by frenzied panic buying of household essentials such as food and water, and, of all things, rolls of toilet paper.
Several countries have reported cases of people stockpiling goods. In Asia, noodles and rice have been the items of choice. In Western countries, pasta and canned goods have been flying off the shelves.
But everywhere, it seems, people have whipped themselves into a frenzy buying toilet paper—as apparently they are now part of living essentials people cannot do without should they be forced to quarantine themselves in their homes because of Covid-19.
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