The article is an analysis of the moral consequences of permanent and major shortages in supply for producers, distributors, and especially consumers. The analysis is based on the author's long experience, obtained in Poland during observations and studies of the behaviour of economic units and consumers. The conclusions presented can be generally applied to centrally planned economies. Similar studies are lacking in countries characterized by an ‘economics of shortage'. Immoral behaviour is reflected in the negligence of the socially accepted system of values and moral norms. In ‘economics of shortage’ this system has been largely destroyed, making moral evaluation of behaviour rather difficult. The seller's market puts society in a situation characterized by a conflict between the law and moral norms; it restricts distributive justice; makes it easier to infringe upon somebody's property; induces fraudulent activities to the detriment of the consumer; restricts the individual's freedom and the consumer's sovereignty; dehumanizes the consumption process; violates human dignity; carries a threat for family life and generates interhuman conflicts. Decisions concerning production and products do not make sufficient allowances for the needs of end users in the sphere of quality, assortment, information transmitted to consumers, and new product development. There exist, in parallel, different systems of allocation of goods and services: administrative allotment, government-controlled outlets, grey and black markets. The purchase of a product itself stretches in time and involves considerable obstacles. The consumer is forced to continue searching and queuing, compulsory substitution, compulsory spending of money and compulsory savings. All this paves the way for unethical behaviour of both sellers and consumers. Among consumers there can be seen symptoms of alienation from the market.