Societies often respond to a crisis by attributing blame to some groups while constructing others as victims and heroes. While it has received scant sociological attention, 'panic buying' is a critical indicator of such public sentiment at the onset of a crisis, and thus a crucial site for analysis. This article traces dynamics of blame in news media representations of an extreme period of panic buying during COVID-19 in Australia. Analysis reveals that lower socio-economic and ethnically diverse consumers were blamed disproportionately. Unlike wealthier consumers who bulk-bought online, shoppers filling trollies in-store were depicted as selfish and shameful, described using dehumanising language, and portrayed as 'villains' who threatened social order. Supermarkets were cast simultaneously as 'victims' of consumer aggression and 'heroes' for their moral leadership, trustworthiness and problem-solving. This portrayal misunderstands the socio-emotional drivers of panic buying, exacerbates stigma towards already disadvantaged groups, and veils the corporate profiteering that encourages stockpiling.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10160820 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14407833211057310 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Study on the influencing factors and intervention strategies of public panic buying during public health emergencies.
BMC Public Health
December 2024
President's Office of Weifang people's hospital, No.151, Guangwen Street, Kuiwen District, Weifang, Shandong, China.
Objective: To examine the prevalence and influencing factors of panic buying of emergency supplies among the public during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic and provide a reference for public responses.
Methods: Using a self-designed questionnaire on panic buying during COVID-19, we conducted an online voluntary anonymous survey among adult internet users (≥ 18 years) in China from June to July 2022. Descriptive analysis, χ test and logistic regression analysis were used to explore the influencing factors of public panic buying.
Food purchase and consumption behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Bangladesh: association between sociodemographic composition.
BMC Public Health
October 2024
Department of Food Engineering and Tea Technology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh.
Background: Bangladesh suffered a severe COVID-19 wave from June to August 2021, which forced the government to impose emergency nationwide lockdown measures for three months with discontinuities. The sudden lockdown strongly affected the dietary preferences, financial circumstances, and social interactions of citizens.
Methods: In this comprehensive study, we collected sociodemographic information as well as data on food purchase and consumption behaviors from 1,350 adults in Bangladesh during the weeks of enforced confinement.
Signs of front-line healthcare professionals' information anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: Grounded theory study in a Wuhan hospital.
Nurs Open
June 2024
School of Information Management, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China.
Aim: Being front-line healthcare professionals is associated with possible severe information anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigating signs of information anxiety is the first and key step of its targeted medical intervention. This study aims to explore the signs of front-line healthcare professionals' information anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImpact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Changes in Consumer Purchasing Behavior in the Food Market with a Focus on Meat and Meat Products-A Comprehensive Literature Review.
Foods
March 2024
Department of Agricultural Processing and Commodity Science, Institute of Food and Nutrition Technology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland.
Article Synopsis
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the global economy, leading to changes in consumer purchasing behavior, particularly in meat and food products.
- Researchers conducted a literature review from 2020 to 2023 to analyze how both individual and sociodemographic factors influenced these purchasing changes during the crisis.
- The study found a mix of positive shifts, like better food management at home, and negative impacts, such as panic buying and increased consumption of unhealthy foods, with individual factors initially playing a larger role, followed by socio-demographic influences later on.
Review on Panic Buying Behavior during Pandemics: Influencing Factors, Stockpiling, and Intervention Strategies.
Behav Sci (Basel)
March 2024
Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
Panic buying poses significant challenges for individuals and societies. This paper provides a literature review on the process by which a pandemic crisis evolves into panic buying behavior. The review offers a comprehensive perspective on studies related to panic buying and mitigation efforts, categorizing them based on their contributions in three stages: factors influencing panic buying, the process of transforming panic into increased demand and stockpiling, and applicable intervention strategies to mitigate panic situations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!