Big deal about big toilet paper

First promoted in 1890, toilet paper rolls had a challenging start but eventually gained immense popularity and have remained largely unchanged to this day. Currently, U.S. residents spend about $6 billion annually on toilet paper, so it's no surprise that hygiene product manufacturers seek innovations to gain an edge over the competition. The American company Charmin has aimed to achieve this by producing toilet paper in the form of a massive, 30-centimeter diameter roll.

Does size matter?

Owned by the international company Procter & Gamble, which has numerous hygiene and cleanliness products, Charmin, a well-known toilet paper manufacturer in the U.S., caused quite a stir by introducing a monstrously large 30-centimeter diameter roll designed specifically for single millennials. Named "Charmin’s Forever Roll," this product is equivalent to 24 traditional home-used toilet paper rolls and can last up to two months for one person. Considering that the average American uses just over 22.5 kilograms of toilet paper annually, this is an impressive result appreciated by many.

Necessity is the mother of invention

We owe the small, convenient toilet paper rolls primarily to two brothers who managed to bring this product out of America's taboo zone. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Americans were simply embarrassed by their biological needs and considered buying toilet paper as something shameful. Therefore, Clarence and E. Irvin Scott decided to promote toilet paper rolls by selling them to hotels and pharmacies (which advertised them as medicinal products). This way, society was gradually convinced that instead of using newspaper and catalog paper, it was better to use a dedicated product. However, as late as 1930, the German company Hakle advertised with the slogan, "Ask for a roll of Hakle, and you won't have to use the words 'toilet paper'." Since then, soft paper in small rolls has become a staple in the lives of Americans and residents of many other countries, but will the mighty "Forever Roll" mark a new era in bathroom history?

The role of the roll in today's world

Large rolls of toilet paper are not uncommon; the market offers many similar products, such as the 28-centimeter diameter and 480-meter long toilet paper intended for public restrooms Merida Klasik toilet paper and the 1800-sheet and 26-centimeter diameter Tork jumbo roll toilet paper. People who want to always have a large supply of this essential bathroom product can purchase sets with up to 96 regular rolls of Bulkysoft Comfort toilet paper. So where does the unexpected enthusiasm for Charmin’s product come from? The creators of the "Forever Roll" argue that it is an excellent solution for single people, especially millennials (born in the 1980s and 1990s), who delay entering serious relationships, constantly work, and don't have time for shopping, living in small apartments with little space to store many small rolls. These individuals can purchase three enormous rolls along with a free stand for $30 (about 113 PLN), eliminating this item from their shopping list for half a year.

Big changes

As odd as it may seem, the massive, space-consuming roll of toilet paper is not the first time Americans have sought ways to simplify their lives by reducing shopping time. A few years ago, there was much buzz about a company known as Dollar Shave Club, which allowed men to subscribe to shaving and hair styling accessories. For a few dollars a month, busy men could skip the hassle of searching for their favorite razors and cosmetics in stores and instead receive them conveniently by mail regularly. The creators of the "Forever Roll" argue that this enormous toilet paper roll for private homes will save a lot of time, and the success it has found among U.S. residents raises the question of whether all household items will soon be of such gargantuan sizes. For now, however, the trend for colossal products remains solely an American phenomenon.

This post was based on a BuzzFeed News article.

Ryszard Kurek