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The psychology of panic buying: what prompts consumers to start stockpiling – and how do we stop it?

The psychology of panic buying: what prompts consumers to start stockpiling – and how do we stop it?

Published: March 28, 2026 · The Guardian

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The scarcity heuristic, exploited by advertisers to trigger impulse buys, can cause panic buying. But telling consumers not to panic, may make them panic more