Business Battles | Toilet Paper Wars: White Gold | 5
Business Wars
Wondery
4.6 • 13.2K Ratings
🗓️ 27 May 2020
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Quarantine restrictions during the coronavirus have induced toilet paper panic-buying as people scratch, claw and punch each other to get rolls. But why? What’s behind the frenzy, and how will that affect the TP industry?
In the last 150 years, it’s grown from selling humble boxes of paper to mass marketing rolls of delicate, luxurious tissue. And now a wave of eco-friendly independent companies are making a bid for your bathroom business.
It’s a high stakes, multi-billion dollar industry that we take for granted. Until we fear losing it. Then all bets are off.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, prime members. You can listen to business wars. Add free on Amazon music. Download the app today |
| 0:12.7 | It's March 12, 2020 |
| 0:14.7 | It's been almost two months since the first case of coronavirus was declared in the United States |
| 0:19.6 | It's been less than 24 hours since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic |
| 0:27.0 | In the US the announcement fuels rumors Americans will be quarantined at home |
| 0:31.7 | Driving people to stockpile as if it were the apocalypse |
| 0:37.7 | And a Costco in Brooklyn a frenzied mob is gathered in the paper goods aisle and employee steps in to try to calm the situation by appealing to the crowds better natures |
| 0:56.4 | Everybody as human being as human being |
| 1:01.4 | As governors start to roll out shelter in place orders panic buying some of it violent kicks into high gear across America |
| 1:09.3 | But people are battling over food liquor cigarettes or even hand sanitizer. No |
| 1:14.9 | Thereafter one thing in particular |
| 1:18.0 | Toilet paper |
| 1:20.2 | In Newport, Oregon people desperate for TP dial 911 |
| 1:25.0 | Enough calls come in that police eventually respond by posting some century-old advice on Facebook |
| 1:31.0 | You know sailors used old rope and anchor lines soaked in saltwater |
| 1:35.0 | Ancient Romans used a sea sponge on a stick also soaked in salt water |
| 1:40.2 | We are a coastal town. We have an abundance of salt water available |
| 1:45.0 | Sea shells were also used |
| 1:48.0 | The panic buying isn't confined to the United States |
| 1:51.2 | In Hong Kong an armed gang robs a shop owner of 600 rolls of toilet paper |
| 1:56.8 | In Sydney, Australia a toilet paper fight in a supermarket gets so heated the police have to intervene |
| 2:03.0 | Braels like that only fuel more panic buying |
... |
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