Fear-based consumerism is emptying shelves in the Okanagan and across the province as some people have begun stockpiling goods due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That香蕉视频直播檚 according to Eric Li, a UBC Okanagan researcher who studies market trends and human reactions to them.
Despite assurances from the provincial government that there will be no shortage of goods, Li said 香蕉视频直播減anic buying香蕉视频直播� is leading to several issues in terms of availability and affordability.
香蕉视频直播淗aving five years of stock at home is not reasonable 香蕉视频直播� and it might not be ethical,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Li recalled a similar panic during Japan香蕉视频直播檚 2011 nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Rampant false rumours spread on social media lauding salt as a cure to radiation poison, Li said. Soon enough, the shelves were empty, much like Okanagan grocery stores are now.
香蕉视频直播淚ncidents like this create panic among consumers,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey worry about if all the shops shut down or the supply chain shuts down.香蕉视频直播�
That over-consumerism, as Li sees it, is much the same now as it was in Japan香蕉视频直播檚 2011 disaster.
The shelves of B.C. grocery stores are being cleared of essential goods: toilet paper, canned foods, cleaning supplies and even meats. Medical supplies have also been hard to get ahold of over the past few months with shops quickly selling out of masks and hand sanitizer.
Social media, with an even stronger grip on people香蕉视频直播檚 attention now than in 2011, certainly isn香蕉视频直播檛 helping either.
Li said people should think critically about the information 香蕉视频直播� and potential misinformation 香蕉视频直播� they consume related to COVID-19.
香蕉视频直播淎 lot of us who are being greedy have the capability to analyze the reliability of that information,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈Is that really true? Is that really (in my location)?香蕉视频直播�
With the mass-information coming in showing panic and quarantine across the world, it香蕉视频直播檚 natural to want to buy a little bit extra but everybody needs to have the opportunity to stock up, said Li.
香蕉视频直播淧eople want to protect themselves and that香蕉视频直播檚 a very reasonable move,香蕉视频直播� said Li. 香蕉视频直播淏ut when we talk about extreme overstocking behaviour, that is problematic.香蕉视频直播�
And that problem shows itself, Li said, in the emergence of a black market, full of people capitalizing on the chaos, selling toilet paper and other goods at incredibly inflated prices.
This limits availability, resulting in some people not being able to get their hands on a single square of toilet paper.
If grocery stores aren香蕉视频直播檛 able to maintain stock, black market items could become a hot commodity, with prices Li estimates could be ten-fold what they are now.
READ MORE: Don香蕉视频直播檛 flush disinfecting wipes down the toilet: City of Kelowna
READ MORE: Kelowna International Airport expects traffic volume to drop by 50 per cent
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
