dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Social Links
  • zedreviews.com
  • citi.io
  • aster.cloud
  • liwaiwai.com
  • guzz.co.uk
  • atinatin.com
0 Likes
0 Followers
0 Subscribers
dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
  • People
  • World Events

Coronavirus: Why People Are Panic Buying Toilet Paper And How To Stop It

  • March 8, 2020
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

The UK has found itself in a panic buying frenzy in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak. A very flustered health secretary Matt Hancock urged restraint and attempted to calm fears of shortages on BBC television’s Question Time after being asked about a lack of paracetamol, dry pasta and toilet paper.

Shelves of ready noodles in Singapore were left empty after fear led people to panic buy. kandl/Shutterstock

The UK is not alone. Social media has been flooded with images from across the world of shopping carts lined up at check outs, empty shelves and crazed shoppers carrying six-months’ worth of toilet paper. Just seeing this footage has fed the panic, escalating the problem far beyond anything that was noted during the SARS epidemic when digital connections were far less prevalent.

These kind of posts are spreading hysteria and false news to the extent that coronavirus hoaxes have, arguably, become dangerous in their own right. If they want panic buying to stop, governments need to demonstrate that they are in control through decisive action and sustained and transparent communication.

Regaining control

In research I conducted with marketing professors Charlene Chen and Leonard Lee, we found that consumers compensate for a perceived loss of control by buying products designed to fill a basic need, solve a problem or accomplish a task. This is what we’re seeing as people rush to buy rice, cleaning products and paper goods in illogically large proportions.

This has led to price gouging and shortages of vital health equipment where it is needed most.

In times of crisis, people don’t want a huge debate, they want action. To assuage people’s anxiety and help them regain a feeling of control, it is up to governments to signal that they have a game plan in mind and are taking timely steps to address the problem.

Singapore – which has had no virus-related deaths, despite 138 cases as of March 07 and a rate of infection that’s been outpaced by recoveries – has emerged as an example of how to contain both the infection and maintain citizen’s trust.

A day after signs that people were panic buying rice and instant noodles, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was on television calling for calm, and assured Singaporeans: “We have ample supplies, there’s no need to stock up.”

People queue outside a Watsons pharmacy in Hong Kong. Lewis Tse Pui Lung/Shutterstock

Singapore was one of the first countries to impose entry restrictions on anyone with recent travel history to China and parts of South Korea. The country has also introduced temperature screening, systems to identify people who have been in contact with carriers, and strict hospital and home quarantine regimes for potentially infected patients. Firm action, in the form of fines and jail time, is being taken towards those who breach these new rules.

The government has made regular public statements and been very frank with its people about the dangers posed by the coronavirus. A week after the panic buying frenzy, things have calmed down and shoppers have gone back to purchasing items in normal quantities.

Getting it wrong

This contrasts with what is happening in Japan and Iran, where governments are under fire for their lack of transparency. This distrust stems from concerns that governments may be deliberately concealing or may not have access to accurate information.

This has led to people stockpiling goods, which in Japan has resulted in shortages of toilet paper. Longs lines and price surges have followed. Theft is now so common that some establishments have taken to chaining rolls to their dispensers.

While the UK government has published an official coronavirus action plan, setting out advice for how the public should respond during each stage of the outbreak and what to expect if it becomes a pandemic, there have been hiccups in communication that have stoked rather than tempered fears.

The most recent problem was the decision to withhold daily updates about the geographical spread of the virus. The government has since made a u-turn on this, calling it “a communication fumble” and acknowledging that such lack of transparency would only lead to feelings of government secrecy and aid the potential spread of fake news.

How action is communicated, including when and how often, is critical to diffusing panic. The situation of any pandemic is so volatile that government policies may need to evolve rapidly in response. As seen in Singapore, strong communication can be the difference between seeming to understand the dynamic nature of the situation and not knowing how to address it at all.The Conversation

 

Andy J. Yap, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour, INSEAD

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • Coronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Hysteria
  • Panic Buying
  • Toilet Paper
dotlah.com

Previous Article
  • Cities
  • Society

Coronavirus: Why People Are Panic Buying Toilet Paper And How To Stop It

  • March 8, 2020
View Post
Next Article
  • Cities
  • People

2020’s Best And Worst US States For Women

  • March 8, 2020
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • People
  • Politics

Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang

  • dotlah.com
  • June 4, 2025
college-of-cardinals-2025
View Post
  • Featured
  • Features
  • World Events

The Definitive Who’s Who of the 2025 Papal Conclave

  • Dean Marc
  • May 8, 2025
conclave-poster-black-smoke
View Post
  • Featured
  • Features
  • World Events

The World Is Revalidating Itself

  • Dean Marc
  • May 7, 2025
View Post
  • Featured
  • Features
  • People

Conclave: How A New Pope Is Chosen

  • Dean Marc
  • April 25, 2025
View Post
  • People

PM Wong takes Scoot flight, fellow passengers cheer

  • dotlah.com
  • October 16, 2024
dotlah-pm-lee-lawrence-wong-9656d4cd-1fa4-40ed-905d-e19e639b8476_728802dd
View Post
  • Lah!
  • People
  • Politics

End of Lee Era for Singapore as PM Steps Down

  • dotlah.com
  • May 16, 2024
View Post
  • People
  • Politics

‘A much bigger step forward’: Lawrence Wong on his journey to becoming Singapore’s fourth PM

  • dotlah.com
  • May 15, 2024
DPM Lawrence Wong will be Singapore's fourth prime minister on May 15. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
View Post
  • Lah!
  • People
  • Politics

7 things to know about Singapore’s next prime minister Lawrence Wong

  • dotlah.com
  • May 15, 2024


Trending
  • 1
    • Cities
    DBS Bank Provides SGD40 Million Loan Facility To Sembcorp Industries For Singapore’s First Single Large-scale Floating Solar Photovoltaic System
    • August 22, 2020
  • 2
    • Technology
    How Big Data Can Affect Your Bank Account – And Life
    • September 26, 2019
  • 3
    • Lah!
    MoneySense Campaign For 2020 To Help Singaporeans Build Financial Resilience
    • August 18, 2020
  • 4
    • Cities
    • Lah!
    Waste Management Workers To Benefit From New Progressive Wage Model Recommendations
    • January 24, 2022
  • countries-with-the-highest-cost-of-living-plus-rent-index-in-2020-25862 5
    • Cities
    Where Living Is the Most Expensive
    • September 29, 2021
  • 6
    • Technology
    ST Engineering Donates $1M To Enable Digital Access For Low Income Households And Seniors In Singapore
    • July 1, 2020
  • 7
    • Technology
    Microsoft Inspire 2021: Unveiling More Opportunity For Partners
    • July 20, 2021
  • 8
    • Lah!
    • Technology
    Apple Marina Bay Sands Opens Thursday In Singapore
    • September 9, 2020
  • 9
    • Lah!
    MinLaw And IPOS Seek Feedback On Proposed Licensing Scheme For Collective Management Organisations In Singapore
    • June 6, 2020
  • 10
    • Technology
    ST Engineering And Wilhelmsen Ships Service To Collaborate On Developing Unmanned Aerial Operations For Shore-to-Ship Parcel Deliveries
    • February 12, 2020
  • 11
    • Cities
    How The Road Network Determines Traffic Capacity
    • December 3, 2019
  • 12
    • Cities
    Hydrogen To Play A Key Role In Mobility And Sustainability
    • February 7, 2021
Trending
  • 1
    Meralco PowerGen’s PacificLight starts up 100 MW fast-response plant in Singapore
    • June 20, 2025
  • 2
    A Father’s Day Gift for Every Pop and Papa
    • June 14, 2025
  • 3
    Apple services deliver powerful features and intelligent updates to users this autumn
    • June 12, 2025
  • 4
    Apple supercharges its tools and technologies for developers to foster creativity, innovation, and design
    • June 11, 2025
  • 5
    It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society
    • June 8, 2025
  • 6
    PBBM asks Singapore to invest more in PH renewable energy projects
    • June 6, 2025
  • 7
    Singapore PM Wong arrives in Malacañang
    • June 4, 2025
  • 8
    Renewable energy, carbon credits are priority areas of cooperation for Singapore, Philippines: Lawrence Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 9
    Singapore businesses eye more investments in PH, says PM Wong
    • June 4, 2025
  • 10
    The Summer Adventures : Hiking and Nature Walks Essentials
    • June 3, 2025
Social Links
dotlah! dotlah!
  • Cities
  • Technology
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Science
  • About
Connecting Dots Across Asia's Tech and Urban Landscape

Input your search keywords and press Enter.