ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. — The strike that is disrupting operations at ports along the East and Gulf coasts could lead to shortages of some products that are shipped from overseas.
Thursday afternoon at the Costco in Royal Palm Beach wasn't a normal weekday of shopping.
"It's a madhouse," shopper Walter Barona said.
Consumer
Prices on these items could increase if dockworkers' strike drags on
He was describing a scene of shoppers grabbing toilet paper and water in reaction to the strike hitting shipping ports, much like the panic buying that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Panic for no reason, there's no reason for it," shopper Angie Myers said.
Economists and experts agree with that assessment, saying there is no reason for the hoarding of items like toilet paper and water.
"I'm not worried about toilet paper, " said Dr. Brian Strow of Palm Beach Atlantic University's Rinker School of Business. "I don't think we're importing a lot of toilet paper through the eastern seaboard, so if you're running to Costco now to freak out, don't freak out on the toilet paper. It's going to be there."
Strow said the strike is likely to affect prices in the near future and also much bigger items than toilet paper.
"Ocean shipping per mile is the cheapest form of shipping," Strow said. "You put heavy stuff on ocean liners — machines and tools, big items, automobiles, electronics. Those are the big ones that are going to be hung up."
