The long and short of toilet paper

One of the few countries that control toilet roll specifications, SA has legislation stating that each roll must contain at least 500 sheets, with each sheet 110mm long and 100mm wide.

But the SA Tissue Manufacturer Association (Satma) says its members are being bogged down by unscrupulous operators selling noncompliant toilet rolls, and it's considering approaching government to deregulate the industry.

Satma makes two points. Firstly, it says consumers trade down in a recession, buying cheaper products. This leads to an increase in sales of illegal rolls, often half the size of what they should be.

Secondly, if the industry were deregulated, Satma says, its members would be able to reduce the size of their toilet rolls (with this clearly marked on the packaging), and consumers would still be getting what they pay for. The cash strapped customer will be able to buy a smaller toilet roll, knowing exactly what he/she is purchasing, without getting ripped off.

That way, says Satma chairman Khaliq Nabeebuccas, the product specifications would be determined by the market, rather than being dictated by government (through the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications).

Nabeebuccas says malpractice in the industry is a serious problem, with noncompliant products being sold mainly at spaza shops and in rural areas.

Though it is difficult to quantify, 2007 estimates put revenue from illegal toilet paper sales at R150m/year. Regulation or deregulation, the air needs to be cleared around this issue.

Source: Financial Mail

Published courtesy of