All four major supermarket chains in the nation have promised not to raise the retail price of toilet paper before the middle of next month or hoard the merchandise so that they could sell it later at higher prices, the Consumer Protection Committee of the Executive Yuan said yesterday.
Consumers flocked to supermarkets over the weekend to buy toilet paper as its retail price is set to rise next month. The agency offered the assurance amid multiple media reports that many supermarkets were reported to be out of toilet paper due to the rising demand.
Carrefour, RT-Mart, A-Mart Taiwan and Pxmart have said they are prepared to sell toilet paper year-round, committee Deputy Director-General Wu Cheng-hsueh (吳政學) said, adding that they have already stipulated their sales plans.
The chains’ plans include the brands and quantities of toilet paper that would be sold, as well as the sales prices and dates.
They would not seize the opportunity to raise the retail price for toilet paper, Wu said.
Wu said he was surprised to hear that supermarkets’ stocks of toilet paper had been depleted.
Consumers should not worry about being unable to buy toilet paper temporarily, he said, adding that the problem would be resolved once the supermarket chains refill their stock today.
Supermarket chains and toilet paper suppliers have signed price contracts, Wu said, adding that the chains are unlikely to make any adjustments in the short term.
Regarding the price of toilet paper after next month, Wu said that the retailers would adjust prices based on their contracts with suppliers of different brands.
Supermarket chains would not raise the prices of all brands at the same time, he said, adding that the agency would closely monitor prices to see if retailers engage in improper sales during this time.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS