Coronavirus: Chinese toilet paper makers say there’s ‘plenty of stock’ after panic buying in Hong Kong

Mainland manufacturers say supply hasn’t been affected and there hasn’t been a noticeable increase in orders from over the border

Researcher says city’s supply is ‘never a problem’ and stockpiling is driven by fear

Reading Time:3 minutes

A shopper stocks up on toilet rolls at a supermarket in Hong Kong on February 5 amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 10:26pm, 19 Feb 2020Updated: 1:17am, 20 Feb 2020

Guangzhou lawyer Ding Yaqing just could not understand it when she saw images of people panic buying toilet paper over the border in Hong Kong because of the coronavirus outbreak.

“I saw [on the news] that Hong Kong people are stockpiling toilet paper,” Ding said. “But why? How could Hong Kong ever run out?”

In Haizhu district where Ding lives, the supermarkets and convenience stores are well stocked with the bathroom necessity, and there are fewer shoppers around because of measures to control the spread of the deadly virus.

For Ding, who has been working from home like many people in mainland China and Hong Kong amid the outbreak, running out of toilet paper is not a concern – she can buy it online.

“I can always order it online and my understanding is that many manufacturers have resumed production, so there is really nothing to worry about,” she said, referring to the extended break after the Lunar New Year holiday because of the epidemic.

Hongkongers have been panic buying toilet paper in recent weeks. Photo: Reuters

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