Yes, it’s true. Shelves were stripped bare last week as customers rushed to bulk-buy after manufacturers there warned the rising cost of tissue pulp would lead to a 10 to 30 per cent increase in prices next month.
According to Taiwan’s largest home shopping channel, ET Mall, demand for the soft white sheets was ten times higher than normal last weekend.
One Facebook ad even urged consumers to reserve their loo roll online – and buy up to 100 packages at a time.
So will consumers be caught without a square to spare?
The Government says no. Their Department of Consumer Protection has announced supermarkets will start restocking their supplies.
They’ve also launched an investigation to determine if local toilet paper sellers colluded to raise prices and prompt the surge in sales.
If that proves to be the case, what a bum steer.