My conspiracy is the run on tp and paper towels was intentional. They chose water, tp, paper towels and hand sanitizer. The first three are the targets the sanitizer just makes it legit.
How do you create the vision there is a shortage, you empty the shelves. The paper isle, comparatively, has very little inventory and it’s cheap. This also applies to the water aisle. You get a few photos of an empty paper isle for the news and viola a few people panic and all of a sudden there are empty shelves all over place. The system couldn’t replenish this physical volume quick enough before the hoarding began. It’s self perpetuating.
It's an obsession with some people.
As for me, I have every James A. Michener book ever written in my library and I've only read a few. Hawaii, Texas, Alaska, Space and Source. All the others I have not yet read. Is it worth reading the others? I do not know. I'm rather tired of Michener's writing formula.
Among Western Canadian working folks back in the day, that was known as “taking a CPR crap”.
If this is the “Best Explanation” for toilet paper shortage then how do you explain Johnny Carson’s joke about a toilet paper shortage?
So, easy solution: Have the commercial manufacturers start distributing to stores for household consumption since that’s where the demand is. Luxury is not high on my priority list when I got to go.