Toilet paper to fuel: Can Australians break the habit of panic buying?

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A fresh wave of panic buying has resurfaced across Australia, driven by rising tensions in the Middle East and growing concerns over global and fuel supply chains. (Representative image of a petrol station/ Right image: Professor Nitika Garg, from the School of Marketing at UNSW Business School. Credit: Background image: AAP image/Right image: Professor Nitika Garg.

Australia has experienced multiple waves of panic buying. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, disruptions to global supply chains led many Australians to stash essentials like toilet paper. Now, amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, a similar pattern is emerging, with many rushing to fuel stations to fill up their vehicles. What drives this behaviour, and can it be stopped? Here’s what an expert has to say.

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Published 8 April 2026 11:07am

By Natasha Kaul

Source: SBS

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Australia has experienced multiple waves of panic buying. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, disruptions to global supply chains led many Australians to stash essentials like toilet paper. Now, amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, a similar pattern is emerging, with many rushing to fuel stations to fill up their vehicles. What drives this behaviour, and can it be stopped? Here’s what an expert has to say.

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