Seoul seeks to calm rush to buy rubbish bags over fears of shortage amid Middle East war

In an effort to prevent panic buying, South Korea’s energy minister issued a public reassurance on March 30 regarding the national supply of plastic rubbish bags. The statement follows a dramatic spike in sales in Seoul, where demand for the essential household items jumped nearly fivefold last week. Major retailers have already begun imposing purchase limits as residents worry that energy supply disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East war could halt the production of plastic by-products.

South Korea’s waste management system is uniquely sensitive to oil supply, as household trash can only be legally disposed of in specialized bags sold at retail outlets. With daily sales surging to 2.7 million bags in the capital alone, Energy Minister Kim Sung-whan took to social media to clarify that the country possesses ample capacity to utilize recycled raw materials. He emphasized that there is enough stock and production capability to meet the nation's needs for more than a year without a price hike.

The minister also outlined a "worst-case" contingency plan to ensure public sanitation is maintained. If standard production were to fail, the government would consider authorizing the use of general plastic bags for waste disposal. "You will never be in a situation where you are forced to store garbage at home," Kim stated, aiming to de-escalate the anxiety driving the current hoarding behavior.

The underlying cause of this domestic shortage is the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces following the outbreak of hostilities involving the U.S. and Israel on February 28. Because the majority of South Korea’s oil imports transit through this chokepoint, the government has been forced into "wartime" economic footing. This includes a 25 trillion won supplementary budget and the first fuel price caps implemented since the 1997 financial crisis.

In addition to managing the supply of goods, the South Korean government is actively promoting a national energy-saving campaign. Citizens are being urged to adopt lifestyle changes such as taking shorter showers, utilizing bicycles for transportation, and charging electronic devices during daylight hours. These measures reflect the growing pressure on Asia’s fourth-largest economy as it navigates a prolonged and volatile international energy crisis.