FTC Investigates 37 Plastic Bag Companies; No Price Gouging or Supply Refusals Found
Amid a plastic bag shortage caused by Middle East tensions, Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission investigated 37 companies and found no evidence of price gouging or collective supply refusals, noting that the situation is easing.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 12:17
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 12:31 (14 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 16:43 (4h 11m after Collected)
Middle East War Focus News
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Pan Tzu-yu, Taipei, 23rd) A wave of plastic bag shortages has emerged, and the government is closely monitoring the supply situation. Acting Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chen Chih-min explained today that the FTC has launched an investigation. After surveying 37 upstream and downstream plastic bag businesses, they have currently found no acts of collective price gouging or concerted refusal to supply.
The war in the Middle East has caused oil supply shortages, triggering a ripple effect of shortages in petrochemical products such as plastic bags.
When explaining measures to cope with the Middle East situation recently, Executive Yuan Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun stated that to prevent illegal hoarding of plastic bags, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office launched the "Platform for Coordinating the Crackdown on Livelihood Crimes" to ensure tight coordination between judicial investigations and administrative inspections to strike at illegal acts immediately. The Fair Trade Commission has also launched an investigation into whether businesses are engaging in concerted actions, hoping that local authorities will continue to cooperate by submitting information on material and product shortages to the central government for coordinated resolution.
Chen Chih-min was interviewed prior to the Legislative Yuan Economics Committee meeting today. He stated that in addition to actively cooperating with the Ministry of Justice's joint inspections, the FTC has also initiated its own probe. They have surveyed a total of 37 companies across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, including upstream suppliers and downstream distributors. While there are indeed price increases and tight supply, no illicit collusion was found.
However, Chen Chih-min pointed out that during recent interviews, businesses indicated that as the government promotes flat-rate pricing projects, the tight supply situation has gradually eased. Additionally, suppliers are allocating goods according to actual demand, such as prioritizing contracted manufacturers.
Chen Chih-min said that regarding the plastic bag shortage, the FTC's jurisdiction covers concerted actions (cartels). Based on the current inspection results, they have seen no evidence of collective price gouging or concerted refusal to supply, but they will continue to investigate. (Editor: Chai Sze-chia)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Pan Tzu-yu, Taipei, 23rd) A wave of plastic bag shortages has emerged, and the government is closely monitoring the supply situation. Acting Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chen Chih-min explained today that the FTC has launched an investigation. After surveying 37 upstream and downstream plastic bag businesses, they have currently found no acts of collective price gouging or concerted refusal to supply.
The war in the Middle East has caused oil supply shortages, triggering a ripple effect of shortages in petrochemical products such as plastic bags.
When explaining measures to cope with the Middle East situation recently, Executive Yuan Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun stated that to prevent illegal hoarding of plastic bags, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office launched the "Platform for Coordinating the Crackdown on Livelihood Crimes" to ensure tight coordination between judicial investigations and administrative inspections to strike at illegal acts immediately. The Fair Trade Commission has also launched an investigation into whether businesses are engaging in concerted actions, hoping that local authorities will continue to cooperate by submitting information on material and product shortages to the central government for coordinated resolution.
Chen Chih-min was interviewed prior to the Legislative Yuan Economics Committee meeting today. He stated that in addition to actively cooperating with the Ministry of Justice's joint inspections, the FTC has also initiated its own probe. They have surveyed a total of 37 companies across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, including upstream suppliers and downstream distributors. While there are indeed price increases and tight supply, no illicit collusion was found.
However, Chen Chih-min pointed out that during recent interviews, businesses indicated that as the government promotes flat-rate pricing projects, the tight supply situation has gradually eased. Additionally, suppliers are allocating goods according to actual demand, such as prioritizing contracted manufacturers.
Chen Chih-min said that regarding the plastic bag shortage, the FTC's jurisdiction covers concerted actions (cartels). Based on the current inspection results, they have seen no evidence of collective price gouging or concerted refusal to supply, but they will continue to investigate. (Editor: Chai Sze-chia)