[AK View] Even Throwing Away Trash Is Difficult These Days

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On April 12 (local time), peace negotiations between the United States and Iran held over two days in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, ended without any significant results. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump declared a "reverse maritime blockade," while Iran announced a hardline response, causing tensions to escalate.

As the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz-a key shipping route through which about one-fifth of the world's seaborne crude oil passes-drags on, the global energy supply chain has reached near paralysis. The effects are increasingly being felt in our daily lives. The most immediate impact has been the pay-as-you-throw trash bags. While the government has announced there are no supply issues, the reality on the ground is different.

This was evident when I recently went to buy pay-as-you-throw bags after moving. The first convenience store I visited sold only one bag per person. As there were not enough, I stopped by four places in total, and at one store, I was told I could buy one pay-as-you-throw bag only if I purchased another item. When I questioned the policy, the response was, "The owner told us to sell the bags only to customers who buy something else." This was a classic example of forced bundling. There was no point in arguing with the part-timer, so I simply bought a drink and other items along with the bag, but I couldn't help but feel bitter all the way home.

A colleague at work shared a story about a visit to the supermarket. An elderly man, struggling and using two canes, came to buy pay-as-you-throw bags but was turned away because he was told he could only buy one if he purchased another product. In the end, the elderly man had to leave empty-handed. Generally, when shoppers don't have a reusable bag, they buy pay-as-you-throw bags with handles to carry their purchases. However, there is no law against buying pay-as-you-throw bags without purchasing anything else.

Store owners may argue that pay-as-you-throw bags are a service item that brings little to no profit. They might also claim that they are struggling to secure enough stock. Furthermore, they often excuse such "unfair" sales tactics by blaming consumer hoarding, saying they have no other choice. Panic buying has continued, even though the government has already stated that there is no shortage of pay-as-you-throw bags in stock.

Even President Lee Jaemyung raised concerns about this issue, pointing out that certain parties are stoking public anxiety. Accordingly, President Lee called for a strict crackdown on the spread of false information that triggers public unease. He warned, "We must find those who first spread such baseless rumors," and added, "This constitutes a serious crime because it disrupts social order and impedes the nation's efforts to overcome a crisis."

The combination of two forms of selfishness-consumers thinking "as long as it's not me" and sellers prioritizing "sales above all"-has further aggravated the situation. The key point is that the current turmoil is not caused by an absolute shortage, but by psychological anxiety leading to overheating. Especially concerning is the opportunistic attitude of those seeking to profit from the crisis.

Looking back, there were those who took advantage of chaos for profit during the urea solution shortage in 2021 as well. At that time, some gas stations required customers to buy fuel to purchase urea solution or charged several times the usual price, but consumers had no other choice but to comply, sparking controversy. However, after the crisis passed, did those gas stations really see more customers?

It is often said that "crisis is an opportunity." But the premise is that active responses-such as reforms or innovations-must come first. Opportunism during a crisis is, in fact, the quickest way to drive customers away from a store. I doubt if I will ever return to the store that forced customers to buy something else to get a pay-as-you-throw bag. Especially in the case of turning away an elderly person who struggled to come, refusing to sell even a single bag seems excessive. I would ask whether they could do the same to their own family.

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