For the record:
Supplies of commodities including rice and wheat remain ample for at least the next six months, said Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季), deputy minister of the Council of Agriculture. Vegetables, aquatic products, poultry, and pork, and eggs are also in adequate supply, he added
I worry about this kind of reporting. Would it lead to people deciding they stock up because there’s a guaranteed supply? It’s reverse psychology that I worry would become reverse reverse psychology
At this point, you probably should just safeguard your family and friends.
You should have plenty of rice, canned goods, water, toilet paper, etc. to subsist for about a month or 2 if suddenly the economy halted in its tracks.
You have car insurance or scooter insurance or property insurance, yet everyone thinks food/beverage insurance (called prepping) is a dirty thing to do.
My problem with having lots of food is that I don’t have anywhere to put it. I have enough rice and noodles to last me a few weeks, but I don’t have much room in the fridge or freezer for fresh veg and proteins in normal times, and I feel like I’m stabbing myself in the chest every time I buy canned veg here. WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE?!? What would be a US$50 grocery run is always close to NT$3000. On the one hand, less need for me to go out if things get out of control. On the other hand, why is a can of peas 5x more fresh ones?
The Premier used that logic when people started the food runs. Look, we have plenty, so go buy, it is good for the economy!
Because you can get the fresh ones for pennies? Because in this culture people have fresh vegetables available all the time at cheaper prices? Because tin and aluminum is expensive - and imported?
Seriously, unless you are in a situation where you need to store such stuff, as in prepping for disaster, that´s the only time you may need cans, and it is a good investment. But every time I hear someone asking for canned pumpkin or such, it makes me have a little stroke…
https://marker.medium.com/what-everyones-getting-wrong-about-the-toilet-paper-shortage-c812e1358fe0
so, it’s an issue between consumer and industrial production:
Because toilet paper is high volume but low value, the industry runs on extreme efficiency, with mills built to work at full capacity around the clock even in normal times. That works only because demand is typically so steady. If toilet paper manufacturers spend a bunch of money now to refocus on the retail channel, they’ll face the same problem in reverse once people head back to work again.
That explains the shortage, but not the hoarding…
there is no shortage of supply, just shops not able to restock (were, as things seem back to normal), hoarding? partly fears about a lock down, which have also died down
In Taiwan they made a website for mask availability.
In Germany they made a website for toilet paper availability.
#priorities
https://tifa365.pythonanywhere.com
Edit: there are 2 websites for different storechains!
2020 is not over yet! 
Got live pic in the US thread.
I was considering sending “winter 2020 care packages” to family and friends back home. In it would be face masks, TP, instant noodles, wool socks and hand warmers (cuz everyone is talking about “redefining what too cold means” as indoor activities like yoga get moved outside in northern states.) Then I thought “nah. There’s plenty of TP at this point. There’s gotta be. I’ll save the packaging space.” Lo and behold…
Mom, where’s the TP? On the way from Taiwan honey!
Not yet…
You will hear the order loud and clear. In the meantime, get your toilet paper - if you can find it. Pao mien? Masks?
What I wonder is how to close down New Taipei with so many of us working in Taipei City?
Please don’t encourage hoarding. Taiwan has enough supplies (President Tsai said so herself) and people just make fools out of themselves buying up all the stock at the supermarkets and convenience stores.
I was actually glad to hoard TP last time. Ordered 3 big boxes of 200 packs. Didn’t need to buy any for 6 months at least. Made things a little more convenient.
Interesting we’re talking about masks and TP again. I bought a bag of TP from Costco in October and I still have quite a few packs left. Normally with other TP brands, I need to stock up monthly. Kirkland TP for the win?
I did notice a lot more older women rushing into pharmacies for masks today. This really confuses me. Basic masks have been on sale for 50/box for NT$250/box if you buy two boxes everywhere, for months. That means you buy over a 3 month supply every time you stock up. I find it hard to believe that everyone has suddenly run out of their supply right when the pandemic has made a real appearance.