Food Hoarding explores the complex interplay of psychology and economics behind the urge to stockpile food during crises. It delves into how individual anxieties, such as risk perception and loss aversion, can trigger widespread disruptions in supply chains, even when those chains are fundamentally sound. For instance, the book examines how the Great Depression and pandemic shortages fueled consumer behavior, and how governments can respond.
The book uniquely integrates psychological insights with economic modeling to understand this behavior, analyzing its impact on market equilibrium and food security. Chapters progress logically, first examining the psychological underpinnings, then the economic factors affecting supply chains and price dynamics, and finally the practical consequences, such as impacts on vulnerable populations.
By combining behavioral economics with real-time sales data, Food Hoarding challenges simplistic explanations, offering a nuanced framework for anticipating and managing hoarding behavior through communication strategies, policy interventions, and technological solutions.
