Chinese rush to supermarkets to snatch up salt

On March 16th, a number of newspapers in China received calls from readers, reporting many customers rushing to the supermarkets to snatch up salt in Guangdong. While some supermarkets took advantage of the opportunity to raise price to 10RMB/package (previous price 1.5RMB) to make more money, many people are willing to buy salt in bulk at higher prices. Now the snatching-up has happened in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Jiangxi, and even other parts of China. In many supermarkets in China, the salt is out of  stock.

Widespread belief is that nuclear radiation from Japan will pollute the sea, which will make future salt inedible. Eating more iodized salt is thought to prevent consumption of radiation.

Actually, in China, sea salt accounts for less than 20% of salt sold in markets. What people usually eat is rock salt. Japan is too far from China.

A notice on the door of a supermarket: 'The salt has been sold out! Thank you!'

Many people are rushing to buy salt in Hangzhou.

The shelves for reserving salt have been empty in a supermarket.

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