Toilet Paper Rush: Consumers in Taiwan stock up on toilet paper amid fears of sharp price hikes

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In Taiwan, supermarkets saw a frenzy of customers over the weekend as they tried to stock up on toilet paper amid fears of sharp price hikes. CGTN's ZHENG CHUNYING has the story.

All empty. Across major cities in Taiwan, rolls and rolls of toilet paper are flying off the shelf. Reports of imminent price increases sent consumers rushing to hoard this daily necessity. And the hunt for it has become a tough task.

"I went to two or three stores. Here they also don't have the ones we want, so we will just get what is available."

On Friday, toilet paper producers in the region notified retailers that prices would increase by 10 to 30 percent in mid-March due to the rising pulp prices on the global market. But local authorities were quick to react. It ordered an investigation into the price hike, and the Department of Consumer Protection urged customers not to worry.

WU CHENG-HSUEH DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL TAIWAN AUTHORITY OF CONSUMER PROTECTION "The prices and the brands in stores have already been set and signed in a contract. Their prices in catalogues are already printed. So stores have confirmed that prices until the middle of March will not change. I urge consumers not to worry and not to engage in panic buying."

Big retail chain stores also promised not to stockpile supplies to sell at higher prices later. So residents in Taiwan can rest easy for now. ZHENG CHUNYING, CGTN.