On a roll: The psychology behind toilet paper panic

A woman wearing a mask buying toilet paper at a supermarket in London as consumers worry about product shortages due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus Covid-19. Economists have suggested people may be trying to eliminate one risk that is relatively easy and superficial, rather than doing something more costly that may reduce their risk a greater amount. — AFP

WASHINGTON: It's a scene that's become familiar around the world: From the US to France to Australia, rows of empty supermarket shelves where toilet paper used to be, the result of coronavirus-induced panic buying.

What exactly is it about the rolls of tissue that has caused mayhem across cultures, including at times violent clashes that have reverberated on social media?