Drivers of consumers' panic purchase behaviour in the Covid-19 crisis: validation of an affective and cognitive channel model

We test a model of panic buying behaviour. The model includes an affective and a cognitive effect channel to explain panic buying. The model is validated based on a sample of German consumers collected during the first phase of the Covid-19 crisis. The results show that panic buying is more strongly influenced by cognitive constructs (e.g. norms) than by an affective construct (i.e. negative emotions) and its successors.

Automated summary

The model of panic buying behaviour was tested on a sample of German consumers during the first phase of the Covid-19 crisis, showing that cognitive constructs have a stronger influence on panic buying than affective constructs.