A country’s supermarket shelves can tell you a lot about what the nation is worrying about. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, British shoppers prioritised hoarding loo roll. In South Korea, a different item is vanishing off the shelves: salt, because Japan is preparing to gradually release radioactive water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. The release has been approved by the UN’s nuclear watchdog and Tokyo says it will be safe and meet global standards. But the plan is facing strong opposition from local fishing communities while neighbouring countries including South Korea and China have raised safety concerns. South Koreans are reportedly stockpiling staples like anchovies and seaweed, while shoppers also told CNN they might stop buying seafood altogether if the wastewater is released.
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