If there is any chance of a replay of this typical scene in a 1973 supermarket, Japan residents might want to consider taking more of those free tissue handouts...
Kyodo via Crisscross: Paper mills urge public to stay calm over tissues
Oji Paper Co and Nippon Paper Group Inc are calling on consumers to stay calm following their announced plans to raise wholesale prices of facial tissues and other household paper products due to higher crude oil prices, industry officials said Thursday. The leading paper mills are emphasizing their ample inventories and production capacities in a bid to prevent a recurrence of panic-stricken consumer reaction to a rumored shortage of toilet rolls following the first oil crisis in the early 1970s, they said. While announced price increases will take effect with shipments in the second half of July, consumers are already starting to flock to some supermarkets and other retailers to buy paper products.
The toilet paper shortages of the 70s led to mass thefts from public facilities which in turn meant that all supplies were withdrawn. The operators only started re-introducing them a couple of years ago.
