This isn't asking the customer to make a choice, it's asking a businessman if they're willing to invest in their business. And it is an investment, not an ongo

This isn't asking the customer to make a choice, it's asking a businessman if they're willing to invest in their business. And it is an investment, not an ongoing significant cost. Once you have a local surplus established, you can simply buy what you use going forward - the same as any other JIT manufacturing process - with a minimal ongoing cost for storage space. As such, a businessman who wishes to invest in the in the longevity of the business over maximizing this year's profits would be happy to sacrifice some profit for the ability to remain solvent in the next supply chain breakdown. Because there will be another one.