I don’t mean to be dismissive in the sense of not even considering something. However, I do think that the the thread title is a false premise. I don’t even think there’s a shortage. There’s a spike in demand that is not normal (hoarding), and the supply will catch up when hoarders don’t have room for that 13th can of split pea soup. That’s what I believe.Tortoise wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 8:49 pm Thanks, that's a step in the right direction.
Now, would you be so kind as to answer the following question seriously, without dismissiveness or humorous deflection?
During a crisis caused by an exogenous event, which is preferable regarding an item people need for survival: (a) An empty shelf with a low price, or (b) a stocked shelf with a higher-than-normal price?
So while (b) looks better than (a) in that no one wants an empty shelf, it’s the way you got to this choice that’s a problem.
Most importantly, groceries are special because they are sustenance. If a virus comes and causes panic and even a perception of a shortage, and that leads to hoarding, that creates a special circumstance about a special product.
If people go nuts and drive up the price of tulip bulbs or beanie babies because they think they will profit later, that’s on them. Don’t take these examples as flippant. I don’t think people are stocking up on food so that they can make a profit. I think they want to make sure they’re going to eat in June and July.
(Pug, if I had a dog there would be dog stories. :-))