Consumer Panic Buying in Times of Crisis

This book comprehensively reviews existing literature on consumer panic stockpiling behaviour, suggesting strategies to effectively manage supply chains during such disruptions.

The book examines the prevalent operation strategies for managing consumer stockpiling based on analytical models and numerical experiments. This includes retailers’ inventory preparation, pricing and quota policies, strategic disclosure of information, and persuasion techniques. The work also explores manufacturers’ robust sourcing strategies to mitigate disruption impacts. By incorporating real-world case studies from diverse sectors, including retail, manufacturing, and logistics, the book offers evidence-based guidance on which strategies prove most effective in different situations.

An invaluable resource for researchers, supply chain managers, retail executives, and policymakers concerned with enhancing supply chain resilience and managing consumer behaviour during periods of uncertainty and disruption.

Rui Zheng is an Associate Professor at the School of Safety Science and Emergency Management, Wuhan University of Technology. She holds a PhD in Management Science and Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and a PhD in Management Sciences from City University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on supply chain risk management, emergency logistics, and optimization algorithms. She has published approximately 20 journal papers in outlets such as Production and Operations Management.

Yi Li is currently an Associate Professor at the School of Economics and Management, Xidian University. He received his Ph.D. degree in Management Science and Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University, and the Ph.D. degree in Management Sciences at City University of Hong Kong. His research interests include supply chain management, service operations management, and the interface of operations and finance. He has published about 20 journal papers, such as Annals of Operations Research, International Journal of Forecasting, and Omega-The International Journal of Management Science. He is now on the young editorial board of Data Science and Management.

Kin Keung Lai received his PhD from Michigan State University, USA. He is currently the Distinguished Professor at the International Business School of Shaanxi Normal University, Xian, China and the Honorary Professor at the Department of Data and Systems Engineering, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong. Prior to his post, he was the Chair Professor of Management Science at the City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong（2003-2016）. Professor Lai was awarded as the Changjiang Scholar Chair Professor by the Ministry of Education, China in 2009. He was also elected as the Academician of the International Academy of Systems and Cybernetic Sciences in Austria. Professor Lai was the Founding Chairman of the Hong Kong Operational Research Society. He is currently the President of the International Federation of Logistics and Supply Chain Management from 2025.