Toilet paper rolls may be shrinking, blame inflation
CLEVELAND (WJW) — When the pandemic upended our lives two years ago, toilet paper and the lack of it made headlines.
Toilet paper is back in the news, this time due to the fact that prices are reportedly going up, while product sizes are shrinking.
Consumer watchdogs have recently reported that plenty of products, from snacks to laundry detergent, have gotten smaller as prices remain the same or increase slightly, and now toilet paper has joined those ranks.
ConsumerWorld.org found that Procter & Gamble recently downsized its “Mega” rolls from 264 sheets to 244 and its “Super Mega” from 396 sheets to 366. In an earnings call at the beginning of the year, the company had said they planned to raise prices in February and April.
“There is a cost element to innovation — adjusting the count per pack or the package size is one way of reinvesting in this innovation while maintaining a competitive price point,” Procter & Gamble told CNN Business regarding the price changes.
The company also told CNN Business that they send various retailers an assortment of products, meaning some stores may have smaller toilet paper roll offerings than others.
This all comes as inflation continues to rise throughout the country, as seen in this U.S. Department of Labor Consumer Price Index for January.