Toilet paper? Really? It’s being hoarded again because of the longshoremen’s strike. TP does not come from overseas, people. It’s manufactured here in the U.S.A. We still cut down American forests to make it. Imported cheese and champagne - well, you’ll have to tough that out. Unless you want to try (gasp!) cheese from Vermont and Wisconsin and bubbly from California.
@johnldeboer The US is a major net importer of toilet paper.
https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/toilet-paper
@Coctaanatis Hmm. More than 90% of TP consumption in this country is from product made in this country, so there seems to be a contradiction in that stat.
@johnldeboer "About 85% of U.S. tissue paper demand, including toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and facial tissue, is supplied by U.S. tissue producers, according to a statement from the American Forest & Paper Association..."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/toilet-paper-port-strike-2024-panic-buying-shortage/
That leaves a 15% shortfall for a product with a low elasticity of demand.
I don't think the strike would have resulted in a serious cutoff of imported toilet paper (Canada is our biggest foreign supplier) but we don't produce all we consume.
@Coctaanatis It’s panic buying/hoarding, creating a problem where there wouldn’t be one. We don’t get our TP from France, for Pete’s sake. It’s an example of H.L. Mencken’s words: “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” Sheesh.
@Coctaanatis Human nature. I’ll get mine, devil take the hindmost. So with pantries full and other folks do without because of it, too bad for them. Suckers.
@Coctaanatis Of course it can’t. And government agencies can’t either.
@johnldeboer Government agencies can and have. Rationing isn't perfect, but it works.
It doesn't have to be as extreme as wartime rationing, but there is a strong public interest in ensuring that people have access to basic necessities.
@johnldeboer Human nature is why we have governments with agencies, laws and regulations. This sort of problem cannot be solved by mere admonition.