I am constatnly amazed at how people don’t prepare for anything at all. I work at a store in a northern climate and every time there is snow, the hordes come in DURING the blizzard for milk, toilet paper and other essentials. They keep nothing on hand and always expect stores to be open and fully stocked. I pride myself on the fact that my family could live for at least 1 month (and am constantly working up toward more) without stepping foot in a store if we had to.
Yup.
You see much the same thing when the power goes out.
People running to the store for batteries and candles and generators.
Heck, a few years back at some store around me the lights were out for a few days and a couple guys got in a fistfight at a store over a generator.