I guess this just lets the price-gouging merchants off the hook for not having a conscience and caring about their neighbors.
Are you for freedom or not?
On the one hand, the gouger provides a service/good that might not otherwise be available.
On the other hand, the beauty of the free market - supply and demand - always wins out. The gouger may make a buck screwing his neighbors, but when he gets robbed - or worse - by a surly customer, his neighbors might be less inclined to help him out.
Not to mention the fact that businesses/individuals known for gouging will find themselves black-listed when the market returns to normal.
There is no free lunch. Either for the gouger - or his patrons.
One more thing; take the guy who sells his stock at the same price as before the “event” - even though supply has dropped and demand is up. He now becomes in essence, a “whole-saler”. His patrons will over-buy, then sell their surplus at a profit. Seem fair to him?