We know the idiots hoarding bottled water have zero idea about how viruses spread, the water supply, and anything, really. The toilet paper people are similarly perplexing, but their idiocy is at least worth consideration. [Reply]
The local grocery store seems to be almost back to normal; at least, outside of the facemasks, marked distancing spots in the checkout lines and plexiglass shields in front of the cashiers. That part is still pretty surreal. [Reply]
No doubt there’s been some panic-buying, particularly once photos of empty store shelves began circulating on social media. There have also been a handful of documented cases of true hoarding. But you don’t need to assume that most consumers are greedy or irrational to understand how coronavirus would spur a surge in demand. And you can stop wondering where in the world people are storing all that Quilted Northern.
There’s another, entirely logical explanation for why stores have run out of toilet paper — one that has gone oddly overlooked in the vast majority of media coverage. It has nothing to do with psychology and everything to do with supply chains. It helps to explain why stores are still having trouble keeping it in stock, weeks after they started limiting how many a customer could purchase.
In short, the toilet paper industry is split into two, largely separate markets: commercial and consumer. The pandemic has shifted the lion’s share of demand to the latter. People actually do need to buy significantly more toilet paper during the pandemic — not because they’re making more trips to the bathroom, but because they’re making more of them at home. With some 75% of the U.S. population under stay-at-home orders, Americans are no longer using the restrooms at their workplace, in schools, at restaurants, at hotels, or in airports.
Georgia-Pacific, a leading toilet paper manufacturer based in Atlanta, estimates that the average household will use 40% more toilet paper than usual if all of its members are staying home around the clock. That’s a huge leap in demand for a product whose supply chain is predicated on the assumption that demand is essentially constant. It’s one that won’t fully subside even when people stop hoarding or panic-buying. [Reply]
No doubt there’s been some panic-buying, particularly once photos of empty store shelves began circulating on social media. There have also been a handful of documented cases of true hoarding. But you don’t need to assume that most consumers are greedy or irrational to understand how coronavirus would spur a surge in demand. And you can stop wondering where in the world people are storing all that Quilted Northern.
There’s another, entirely logical explanation for why stores have run out of toilet paper — one that has gone oddly overlooked in the vast majority of media coverage. It has nothing to do with psychology and everything to do with supply chains. It helps to explain why stores are still having trouble keeping it in stock, weeks after they started limiting how many a customer could purchase.
In short, the toilet paper industry is split into two, largely separate markets: commercial and consumer. The pandemic has shifted the lion’s share of demand to the latter. People actually do need to buy significantly more toilet paper during the pandemic — not because they’re making more trips to the bathroom, but because they’re making more of them at home. With some 75% of the U.S. population under stay-at-home orders, Americans are no longer using the restrooms at their workplace, in schools, at restaurants, at hotels, or in airports.
Georgia-Pacific, a leading toilet paper manufacturer based in Atlanta, estimates that the average household will use 40% more toilet paper than usual if all of its members are staying home around the clock. That’s a huge leap in demand for a product whose supply chain is predicated on the assumption that demand is essentially constant. It’s one that won’t fully subside even when people stop hoarding or panic-buying.
People are/were CLEARLY hoarding TP. You could see it at the stores/on the intranets. I'm sure residential demand increased, but not like that.
Our family has YET to go through a single package. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla:
People are/were CLEARLY hoarding TP. You could see it at the stores/on the intranets. I'm sure residential demand increased, but not like that.
Our family has YET to go through a single package.
ohhh I agree it was panic buying initially. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla:
People are/were CLEARLY hoarding TP. You could see it at the stores/on the intranets. I'm sure residential demand increased, but not like that.
Our family has YET to go through a single package.
We haven't bought any since this whole thing started, because we typically maintained a supply in the closet. But it's been out of stock the entire time here. I did my first grocery delivery today and it looked like I could order it to be delivered, but at the last minute the store deleted it from my order. I'll be glad when it eventually gets back to normal. [Reply]