With select brands of popular Japanese potato chips vanishing from store shelves, folks are hoping to cash in.
As Kotaku reported last week, panic buying began at some stores after snack makers said they were either suspending or ending potato chip production due to domestic spud shortages.
ポテチが１つもない pic.twitter.com/4yqSa49ceH
— Rina (@rinaomiEG) April 17, 2017
は？え？ポテチが pic.twitter.com/RMyoPWv3cs
— せかひた@C106 1日目東7 O22a (@sekahita) April 17, 2017
This isn’t happening at every store (some are still fully stocked!), but it certainly is happening at a lot of them. Moreover, not all brands are effected and thus, those chips remain widely available.
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853926485236645888
The ones that are impacted—such as Pizza Potato, which won’t be produced anymore—are seeing a spike in online resale.
Many of these are bundles or boxes of bags. Keep in mind that a bag of Pizza Potato is usually around 130 yen (US$1.20), but can go for more or even as low as 100 yen. (In the above image, however, the price tag says 161 yen for a bag, which seems rather high for retail.)
https://twitter.com/embed/status/851441112187248641
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853890908982362112
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853511765392367616
うわぁ酷え＞ヤフオクでのピザポテト転売
人間ってここまで強欲になれるのかね？売る方も買う方も大概だぞ。 pic.twitter.com/VG40B7Hb0K
— 吉良青劉 💉*6&Pray_for 💙💛 (@redcrab_library) April 13, 2017
https://twitter.com/embed/status/852146577456025600
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853923131446091777
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853925466591420416
On Sunday in Tokyo’s Akihabara, one rather suspicious looking man was spotted selling Pizza Potato for 800 yen a bag, which is about six times it’s original price.
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853539744575234048
Calbee’s Big Bag Lightly Salted, production of which is being suspended, was also being sold at a significantly marked up price.
Retailers appear to be combating hoarders and resellers with signs that read, “Limit one bag per customer.”
ななななんと販売休止のピザポテトを発見👀
どこの店舗からお伝えしませんが、ここの店にはピザポテト転売者は現れなかったらしいですね笑笑 pic.twitter.com/VYMXVRH6qW
— Mugen (@mugen_______7) April 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853872691228491776
And yet, there are still sell outs.
https://twitter.com/embed/status/853920576292794368
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