Why Is Toilet Paper So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)

 

Toilet paper is something that most people are using in their homes every day.

This also means that people are shopping for and purchasing quite a bit of toilet paper.

A large family can go through dozens of rolls of toilet paper every month.

If this describes you, then you are fully aware of the high pricing associated with toilet paper.

There is no questioning the fact that toilet paper is expensive, but you may be wondering why this is.

Let’s take a look at a few of the reasons behind the high pricing of toilet paper.

 

Why Is Toilet Paper So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)

 

1. Eco-Friendly Paper

 

Not all toilet paper is eco-friendly.

However, with a focus on the environment and trying to be more conscious about the world we are leaving future generations, many people are purchasing eco-friendly toilet paper.

The pricing of eco-friendly toilet paper is sometimes close to double that of traditional toilet paper.

This is done to help ensure that the paper can break down more easily and will be better for the environment.

The process to create and design paper like this requires a bit of work on the part of the manufacturer.

More time and effort are spent in the design process, and people have to pay a good amount of money to cover these costs.

Eco-friendly toilet paper is also made by the top brands that are going to charge higher prices for their toilet paper anyway.

They are known for increasing costs, especially when a new product that is deemed to be better is released to the market.

 

2. Comfort

 

Toilet paper is designed to have some comfort built in.

The paper that is not nearly as comfortable is going to be quite a bit cheaper.

In order to achieve comfort in toilet paper, the design has to be highly engineered, and it will need many layers built in.

The comfort of the paper will vary between brands, but many people find one that they prefer.

Comfort is thought of as a premium luxury, and therefore, the price is going to increase.

Since people have the option for lower quality toilet paper without comfort, the manufacturers will put a premium on comfort.

The only issue with comfort is that it also needs to be easy to flush.

This makes the manufacturing of the product more difficult, therefore increasing the cost.

 

3. Soft Material

 

Toilet paper is made with a soft material.

The material is designed to help make sure that it is not painful to use when a person needs it.

This soft material is undoubtedly a bit harder to manufacture than a rougher material.

With a soft material, there are usually more layers and a higher-end finish on the final product and feel.

The soft material is also highly marketed as being the best choice out there.

All of these reasons are going to lead to the overall price of the product being quite a bit higher.

If you want to save money on toilet paper, go with something that isn’t advertised as being the softest on the market.

Chances are you will save quite a bit as the price for soft is a luxury.

 

4. Durability

 

Toilet paper is expected to be durable.

If the paper is not durable and it falls apart while you are in the process of using it, chances are you will never buy the product again.

Of course, Americans want this durability, but at the same time, they also want affordability.

Finding that combination can be a bit difficult.

Durability comes from the strength of the fabric used in making the product.

When the toilet paper has longer threads with interlocking patterns, it is traditionally much more durable.

The durability of the toilet paper can also make it so that you don’t need to purchase quite as much of it.

Think about the fact that the durable toilet paper could allow you to use much less because it is not shredding during use.

This will eventually help to keep your overall toilet paper spending down quite a bit.

Initially, you will have to be prepared to spend quite a bit more on durable toilet paper.

 

5. Hardwood Pulp Used in Manufacturing

 

Hardwood pulp is part of the material used in the manufacturing of toilet paper.

The supply and demand of the pulp will have a big impact on the prices that toilet paper is offered for.

Depending on the current prices of lumber, you may see that the toilet paper prices are also going to fluctuate.

Although there won’t be much you can do about this, it is an interesting concept that will affect the total price.

When lumber prices go up, the price of the raw materials needed to create toilet paper goes up as well.

The toilet paper we use also sometimes has bleach mixed in as an ingredient.

Most of the toilet paper is made with part hardwood and part softwood fibers.

Depending on the type of fibers that were used in your toilet paper, the price is going to fluctuate.

The softer toilet papers typically cost more money and are made with better quality fibers.

In the end, you will find that, once again, the cheaper toilet papers are just made with lesser quality materials.

 

6. Trade and Importing

 

Not all of the toilet paper that we use in the United States is made in the United States.

When there is trade with other countries involved, you will notice that pricing can fluctuate.

Not only are there taxes and fees on bringing goods into the country, but certain relationships also require that extra fees are paid.

Essentially, the process of getting toilet paper from a facility here or abroad and into the stores is costly.

The packaging, the production, and the transportation of the product will impact the price that is paid for the toilet paper.

 

7. Marketing

 

Unfortunately, one of the main reasons toilet paper is so expensive is the marketing costs.

Companies spend so much money competing to sell you the toilet paper that they are left having to cover the costs in some way.

The higher prices that you pay are sometimes simply so that Charmin and other large companies can show you a commercial.

As you can imagine, the commercials and social media marketing that these companies do are quite costly.

It is hard to make it as a large toilet paper company simply from word of mouth.

People don’t often talk about which toilet paper they have used and why all their friends should be getting that toilet paper as well.

Instead, these companies need to work to make their way into your home.

They may send you coupons, play a commercial that has a cute puppy in it, or start popping up on your social media feeds.

Regardless of how these companies reach you, marketing costs are a major reason that the pricing of toilet paper remains so high.

Until these companies back off and put that money into lowering the cost of their product, you won’t see much of a change in the pricing that we pay.

There won’t be much that you can do about marketing and advertising costs that you find on toilet paper.

The one smart thing to do is to take advantage of any coupon offers that come your way.

 

8. Efficiency for the Sewer

 

Toilet paper needs to be comforting and efficient, but it also should not clog up your toilet.

If you have an older home, chances are the sewer system is a bit slow in removing waste.

This ends up causing the toilet to get backed up quite easily.

Many times, the way to avoid this is to use a thinner paper that is easier to flush.

The problem with the thinner papers is that they also require people to use quite a bit more of the product.

Clumps of product in the toilet are only going to make things back up even more.

This is why people need to be careful about which toilet paper they purchase and make sure that it can clear the sewer.

Lots of technology and innovation go into making sure that toilet paper can be easily flushed.

This comes back to the purchasers and them having to pay extra costs.

 

9. Fear of Supply Issues

 

One thing that 2020 taught us is that people are very concerned about not having enough toilet paper.

When there was an idea that toilet paper could potentially run low in supply, people panicked and started to buy as much of it as they could.

This, of course, caused some places to charge extra money for their toilet paper.

Some of this price gouging was ultimately determined to be illegal, but the bottom line is people know they need toilet paper.

When you are in a situation of need as opposed to want, companies can charge quite a bit more money for their product.

They know that, no matter what, you will want to make sure you have toilet paper in your home.

This helps them increase the price without really having an impact on the amount of paper that they are able to sell.

Most other industries will see a decrease in buyers when the pricing goes up, but that is not the case when it comes to toilet paper.

 

10. Number of Layers

 

Last but certainly not least is the number of layers that toilet paper has.

The cheaper papers have one layer, with the higher-end papers being a 3-ply toilet paper.

The thicker papers do not require you to use so much at once, and therefore, they are more expensive.

It is sometimes worth doing a test to see if using higher-end toilet paper gets you more use or if the lower-end paper would be more cost-effective.

Most find that there is a medium grade of paper that works well for both comfort and efficiency, and it will lead to the most money saved.

You will have to be a savvy shopper to be able to figure this out and get the best deals on the market.

 

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now feel as though you can understand why toilet paper is so expensive.

Many households are avoiding toilet paper completely and using different methods.

However, there is no question that toilet paper is the most common choice and will be around for years to come.

One of the best ways to save money on toilet paper is to purchase when it is on sale and stock some toilet paper for when it is needed.

There are also usually coupons available for the major brand names.

Try and grab these any chance you can because they will help save quite a bit of money over the course of a year.