Time to stock up again? The likelihood of empty shelves in a second coronavirus wave Last spring, after the pandemic was first declared and lockdowns began, scenes of crowds swarming grocery stores were common across the country as panicked shoppers lined up for hours to get certain items.Bacon says there’s are a few reasons this kind of panic buying happens.“The first one is actually when there’s a potential to not have products,” he explained.He also said shopping helps people cope in times of uncertainty.Herd mentality is another factor that plays a role, he pointed out, saying, for example, there might be a buzz that certain items like toilet paper are in short supply — even if they aren’t.“All of a sudden people just react to it,.