The Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency

Have you ever noticed how, whenever a big storm is predicted, people start rushing to stores to clean them out of ever food item and supply they have on the shelves? In one sense, it’s probably good that they are trying to anticipate the emergency, despite being last-minute about it. It sure beats those people who don’t bother to prepare at all, then complain when emergency services are overwhelmed by requests for assistance.

But why panic in the first place? Why not have a stash of necessary items always ready for such an emergency? Even if there isn’t a storm approaching, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to rush out to the store every time you run out of toilet paper. Keeping some extra around the house is always a good idea!

With this in mind, I decided to ask CampingSurvival.com’s Facebook fans what they felt were the emergency supplies that stores were most likely to run out of when people start to panic. Then I compiled the top comments in various categories so I could share it with you. Since this list is based on the comments of our Facebook fan page, some of the items (canned meat, for instance) may not be the absolute first things for a store to run out of, but are still items that you should consider having among your emergency supplies nonetheless.

Without further ado, here the list of the Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency, compiled by yours truly:

FOOD

1. Bread
2. Butter
3. Cereal
4. Coffee
5. Eggs
6. Flour
7. Fruit, canned and fresh
8. Honey
9. Meats, canned
10. Milk
11. Peanut butter
12. Pet food
13. Salt
14. Sugar
15. Vegetables, canned and root vegetables
16. Water

POWER AND LIGHT

1. Batteries
2. Candles
3. Charcoal
4. Coolers
5. Flashlights
6. Gasoline
7. Generators
8. Glow sticks
9. Ice
10. Lamp oil and oil lanterns
11. Lighter fluid
12. Matches
13. Propane, propane stoves

FUN

1. Alcohol, drinking
2. Beer
3. Cigarettes

FIRST AID

1. Alcohol, rubbing
2. Antiseptic
3. Aspirin/pain relievers
4. Cold medicine
5. First aid kits

HYGIENE

1. Feminine hygiene products
2. Paper plates/napkins
3. Shampoo
4. Soap
5. Toilet paper

BABIES

1. Baby food/formula
2. Diapers

IMPROVISATION

1. Duct tape
2. Plastic bags
3. Plywood
4. Radios
5. Rope

Now, before you file this away as mildly interesting reading, take this list and compare it to what you have stocked up. Check to see what you may be missing or what you need more of. And don’t forget that this is only a Top 50 list, so there are plenty of other items.