Young Man shopping in a supermarket, breathing through a medical mask. RealPeopleGroup

In the weeks since the U.S. confirmed its first case of COVID-19, consumer habits have been shifting. Medical masks, hand sanitizer, gloves and toilet paper have flown off shelves in the U.S., as more people began to look to protect themselves and prepare for long stints isolated in their homes. But, those aren't the only items that consumers are spending money on in stores and online. In addition to medical supplies, such as cold medicine, thermometers and tissues, and items for the pantry, such as canned goods and bottled water, people have begun shelling out money for entertainment. Board games, puzzles and video games have become popular items. According to Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist, people are currently purchasing items based on three needs: to protect, to entertain and to connect. "First of all there are our practical needs," she said. "We are home more, so we need more food and we need more provisions." Canned goods, bottles of water, frozen food, rice and pasta have been cleaned off shelves in recent weeks and grocery stores have had to work quickly to replenish their supply. Yarrow said that the hoarding of food items makes sense psychologically. As humans feel threatened or anxious, our first instinct is to gain some sort of control over the situation. "People are resorting to the only action they feel like they can, which is stockpiling," she said.

Supermarket shortages caused by panic-buying of items such as pasta and rice. Andrew Merry

And it's not just for ourselves. Yarrow said that some people who have to care for children, their own parents or animals are being driven by a sense of guilt to hoard more items. "It's guilt avoidance," she said. "'I better get more than I need because the consequences if I don't are too horrible to imagine.'" No one wants to run out of food or cleaning supplies while trying to take care of others, she said. In addition to food supplies, people have been purchasing gloves, soap, diapers, water filters and jugs, bidets and painter's tape, according to data analysis by Thinknum of Amazon sales from late January through the second week of March. "I think people are anxious and people feel that this an unsafe world right now," Yarrow said.

It's why they have begun stockpiling items that protect against the virus, as well as items that would protect them against other people; there has been a rise in purchases of security cameras and guns. "Unsurprisingly, nondiscretionary or essential categories such as food, household products, personal care and health products saw the biggest jump," Deborah Weinswig, CEO and founder, Coresight Research, wrote in a research note Friday about the impact of the coronavirus on consumers. "More than one-third of all respondents reported buying more food and/or more household products," she said of Coresight's survey of more than 1,000 people March 17-18. Once folks feel like they are physically safe — have enough food and protection — there is a shift to buying items that are more geared toward emotional well-being.

It's time to entertain and connect