As news of a major port strike across the U.S. hits the headlines, people are panic-buying toilet paper, flooding social media with reports of empty shelves at their local stores. While this scenario feels eerily similar to the shortages we saw during the pandemic, there’s an important fact to understand: There’s no actual shortage of toilet paper caused by the strike.
In fact, more than 90% of the toilet paper consumed in the U.S. is produced domestically, and the rest comes primarily from Canada and Mexico — countries where shipments arrive via rail or truck, not through the ports affected by the strike. So why are people hoarding it again?
This sudden surge in demand is due to panic buying, not any actual disruption in supply. Fear, uncertainty, and memories of past shortages have triggered this behavior. It’s a classic example of “mob psychology” at work: as soon as people hear about potential shortages, they rush to buy up stock, fearing they’ll be left without. But in reality, those fears are unfounded.
While the port strike will likely impact some items, these are mostly perishable goods, such as bananas, which rely heavily on imports through the ports now closed. Bananas, for example, have a short shelf life and are highly dependent on quick transport from the time they’re harvested to when they hit store shelves.
But toilet paper is quite the opposite. It’s not perishable, it can be stored for long periods, and its supply chain is not tied to the ports affected by the strike. In fact, hoarding toilet paper today could just result in overstocked closets, with no need for more purchases until years later.
The urge to stock up on essential items during times of uncertainty is understandable, but there’s no reason to panic-buy toilet paper due to this strike. Supply is stable, and there’s no threat to future availability. If anything, the port strike could impact our ability to export toilet paper to foreign markets rather than import it.
So before you rush out to stock up, take a deep breath and remember: There is no shortage of toilet paper — just a shortage of calm.
Let’s focus on making informed decisions and leaving enough for everyone.
