Since the novel coronavirus outbreak in China and spread to other countries around the world, some items, including toilet paper, have become hot sellers in the market. In some places, they are considered "luxury goods" because they are sold at prices double or triple the usual price.
And even a cafe in Queensland, Australia posted a notice that customers would pay with toilet paper instead of cash. On the Subtle Asian Traits forum, an account named Erica Phan shared a photo and a post related to this restaurant. "To our beloved customers, we are now accepting payment in toilet paper. Thank you," part of the notice read.
This is a story that seems like a joke but is actually true in the current situation. This sign appeared in the context of toilet paper becoming a scarce commodity in Australia, when people's demand increased dramatically due to concerns about the Covid-19 epidemic. In Australia recently, toilet paper shelves in supermarkets were all empty. Besides the "kangaroo country", a series of countries from Japan, the US... are also in a similar state.
In Hong Kong, a company even gave away toilet paper to customers. Some public restrooms in Japan have been locked to prevent toilet paper theft.
On social media, the hashtag #toiletpapercrisis is becoming one of the keywords that many people are interested in, besides the Covid-19 pandemic.
