What gouging does in an emergency is allocate the needed supplies to where they are needed the most. If people in the zone have extra supplies, they'll sell them rather than hoard.
> the price of water bottles and gas won't motivate new producers to enter a market
It absolutely does. Before the anti-gouging laws, when there was a hurricane, people outside the zone would fill up all their gas cans, get supplies, etc., then drive into the zone and sell them for high prices. After the laws were enacted, that put a stop to that - no gas until FEMA got around to showing up a few days later.
Anti-gouging laws produce shortages, hoarding, mis-allocation, and crime (black markets, theft, etc.).
> the price of water bottles and gas won't motivate new producers to enter a market
It absolutely does. Before the anti-gouging laws, when there was a hurricane, people outside the zone would fill up all their gas cans, get supplies, etc., then drive into the zone and sell them for high prices. After the laws were enacted, that put a stop to that - no gas until FEMA got around to showing up a few days later.
Anti-gouging laws produce shortages, hoarding, mis-allocation, and crime (black markets, theft, etc.).