Food - News
Panic Buying Is A Food Shortage No-No
By HANNAH BEACH
Between the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine grain crisis, and the poultry industry's bird flu outbreak, countless grocery items have become difficult to find, prompting people to panic and stock up on what they deem essential. While panic buying is understandable, it can cause a whole new set of problems.
When certain items are stockpiled, other people start stockpiling them too, which only worsens food shortages. The media may not help matters — headlines can insinuate that there isn't enough food to feed everyone, which is typically not the case as often distributors simply aren't able to move food around.
In the face of food shortages, a good option is to buy in bulk at stores like Costco or Sam's Club where they encourage and are prepared for that kind of shopping. Another great strategy is to buy two of each nonperishable item you need so you can use one and save the other without causing panic in other shoppers.