..is a principle which makes people do things so that they don't feel regretful later. People are panic-buying for the same reason too, with social media and news media amplifying the sense of scarcity.

Loss Aversion

<ul><li>Panic buying makes people feel in charge of the situation, while seemingly mundane measures like hand-washing, which are actually impactful, seem ordinary.</li><li>The problem comes when people overbuy in their over-panicked state of mind (irrational stockpiling), making the shortages worse than they really are.</li><li>Speculators also take advantage of panic buying and raise prices of essential items like face masks, forcing companies to take appropriate measures.</li></ul>

Downsides of Panic Buying

Experts point out that panic buying can be a result of a lack of trust in the government.
If public fears are not addressed on time, fake news can induce panic. Better preparedness at all times for possible emergencies can be a way to reduce this among the public.

Fake News And Lack Of Trust

The world is seeing panic buying in supermarkets, with items like toilet paper, milk, soda, hand sanitizers, etc. flying off the shelves, especially in places with confirmed cases of the virus.Panic buying is a psychological mechanism fueled by anxiety along with a herd mentality. People hoard stuff in panic, due to fear of the unknown, according to experts.

Panic Buying

Last Saturday afternoon, Kristina Moy decided to swing by her local supermarket in the US city of Seattle to pick up some weekly groceries and supplies for her son's upcoming baseball tournament. What started as a quick errand turned into a three-hour ordeal, navigating checkout lanes packed with hundreds of shoppers stocking up amid the outbreak of coronavirus.