Loo roll alert to UK households over 'small' habit costing £360 a year
New research has found that UK households could save up to £360 a year on toilet paper by switching where they buy it and stopping one thing
UK households could save as much as £360 annually on toilet paper by following a straightforward tip, according to experts. Studies indicate that the average household spends £428 per year on toilet paper, but that this figure could be significantly reduced.
The purchase of this household essential is unnecessarily costing UK households hundreds. New research conducted by Victorian Plumbing, which analysed the habits of 1,000 individuals, discovered that the average Brit uses eight sheets of toilet paper per visit.
This equates to an estimated 56 sheets daily. Victorian Plumbing also compared the cost of the big four supermarkets' own-brand toilet rolls against the UK's most popular brand, reports Birmingham Live.
On average, these own-brand sheets cost 21p each. This means the UK's leading brand is over 150 per cent more expensive per sheet than the average of supermarket own-brand alternatives, equating to a total saving of £184.32 per year, per household.
Alex Woods, a bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing, states: "With inflation, supply chain pressures, and raw material shortages all pushing prices up, the humble toilet roll is starting to no longer be the minor household expense it once was.
"While costs may be rising, there are still simple, practical steps we can take to reduce usage and the costly impact. When one small habit costs the UK nearly £3 billion a year, every sheet really does count."
Cheeky Wipes suggests: "Instead of adding a 9 pack to your weekly shopping (average household of 4 usage), buy in bulk if you've got the storage space. Comparing on Ocado, buying a 9 pack of Cheeky Panda works out at 88p per roll. By comparison, 24 pack of their loo roll will work out at 83p per roll.
"Shopping at wholesale type spaces such as Costco etc can obviously save even more."
The company advises: "Another cost effective way to save money on toilet roll is to use less of it. If the 'average' person uses 8 to 9 sheets of toilet paper, reducing it by 2 sheets per visit will save 25% off your annual spend.
"Of course let's be honest.
"Most men will only use loo roll for a poo.
"And women shouldn't need to use anywhere near that amount for a pee.
"So are some people really using 20 sheets per poo?"
It comes after a doctor went viral on TikTok after sharing a video warning about the dangers of using the loo roll in public toilets.
Dr Sermed Mezher, a Manchester-based GP, posted the video and it racked up over one million views.
In it, Dr Mezher shares a photo of a large roll of toilet paper that is covered in scratches and spots of blood, saying: "If you go to a public restroom and the toilet paper has marks like this, do not use it."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Brits debate the most outrageously overpriced items in UK
Now more than ever, Brits are faced with extortionate costs of everyday life, from energy bills to the weekly food shop. But for those who feel there is an endless list of 'outrageously' overpriced things currently in the UK (from toothpaste to train tickets), you are not alone. It comes as someone asked on Reddit: 'What's the most outrageously overpriced thing in the UK that we just accept?' So far, there has been an overwhelming response to the original post on r/AskUK, including 2.4k upvotes and 3.8k comments. Fast food, tinned fruit, and fish and chips among most overpriced things in UK Among the most debated topics where the cost of dropping someone off at an airport, dental work, and car insurance, to name a few. Someone wrote: 'Fast food, but I've actually stopped eating it. 'May as well eat at an actual restaurant when some places charge nearly £30 for 2 meals.' Another said: 'I'm not buying Pringles for £2.75.' While this user shared: 'Hear me out: Tinned fruit. 'Used to be a staple in my childhood as we were on the poverty line. Source of sugar and vitamins for us. It's the dregs of fruit which me and my sister used to fight for the cherry. I remember seeing it for 19p in 2005. "£1.20 a tin.' One Reddit profile commented: 'Fees. 'Hear me out.. booking fee, application fees. Booking a cinema ticket... Fee Mortgage: application fee Gig tickets: fee Online parking: plus fee. 'I'm doing all this myself why do I have to pay a fee aswell.' How to Save Money on Your Energy Bill A frustrated Brit also added: 'Child care/nursery costs. We pay more for our one kid than our mortgage every month.' Further discussing the price of food these days, this person put: 'Fish and chips! 'Used to be the cheap takeaway option. Now it's £8 for a bit of cod and another £5 for some chips.' As a reply to the original post asking people what things they think are 'outrageously' overpriced, one profile posted: 'Women's deodorant, Dove now wants £5 for a 200ml bottle. £5 !? W*f!!' Recommended reading: Another annoyed user said: 'I just hate the size of standard multi pack chocolate bars now. I got a 4 pack of twix for like £2 and you open it and they are the size of the ones in a snack multipack. Ridiculous literally 1 bite sticks.' Meanwhile, another popular response was: 'I needed some toothpaste so popped to my local, £7!!! It was a double sized tube but 7 quid?!' Have you been shocked by the price of anything recently? Let us know how you feel in the comments below.
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
Soaring food prices could deter tourists from Brit holiday hotspot
Soaring food prices could deter tourists from Brit holiday hotspot The Balearic Islands have seen a rise in the cost of essential goods like oil and bottled water, with the increasing cost of living now the top concern for residents Costs of essential items have skyrocketed in popular destinations across the Balearic Islands (Image: Holger Leue via Getty Images ) Food prices on the Balearic Islands have skyrocketed in tandem with the surge in tourist numbers over the past five years - with essential items such as oil and bottled water seeing a price hike of over 50%. Although local protests have primarily centred around the island group's suffering housing market, believed to be due to an increase in short-term lets and second-home owners, a burgeoning cost-of-living crisis is also being experienced in this popular holiday destination. According to a survey by the Balearic Institute of Social Studies, concerns about affording everyday food items surpassed overtourism and the housing market as the most pressing issue among residents, with 84% of respondents describing it as a serious problem. Alfonso Rodriguez, president of the Consubal consumers association, revealed that the cost of oil had risen by 67% since 2020, with sugar, lamb, bottled water and juice all also up by around 50%, as reported by the Majorca Daily Bulletin. Coupled with growing discontent and a new wave of planned protests, these escalating costs could deter international visitors from choosing Majorca and Ibiza for their summer holidays - with research indicating a decline in both domestic and foreign spending. Data released by restaurant association Restauración CAEB showed a revenue drop in Majorca's hospitality sector by up to 20% during the first quarter of 2025, with both Spanish travellers and those from abroad appearing to spend less than the previous year. Article continues below "If spending in our sector decreases, it will inevitably affect the entire local economy," cautioned the association's president, Juan Miguel Ferrer, reports the Express. The surge in food prices could be attributed to the influx of affluent expats, with foreign residents comprising nearly half of the archipelago's population, potentially impacting tourist spending. The Balearic Islands' reliance on imported produce, coupled with rising inflation and increasing raw material costs, renders them susceptible to high food costs. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here Consequently, business owners might be compelled to pass the financial burden to customers, which affluent Brits might be able to afford, but could exacerbate the struggles of locals already finding it difficult to pay their rent. According to reporter Peter Clover, writing in the Majorca Daily Bulletin last summer: "Majorca has become uber-expensive for the average consumer, and is perhaps in danger of outpricing itself in favour of caressing the plump wallets of the super-rich." "I'm almost certain that somewhere along the line, some retail entrepreneurs are taking the proverbial and raking in the profits, while happily shafting the customer," he added. Article continues below "But that still means that as an island, we take a harder hit than most!" Housing access emerges as a significant worry for Balearic locals, with a social studies institute revealing that 72% view it as a "great concern", while two-thirds of the 1,300 individuals polled express deep concerns over the persistent effects of overtourism.
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Urgent retirement warning for anyone on average £35k salary – do you need to act?
Plus, find out what the Government is expected to do with pensions as part of a huge shake-up POT LUCK Urgent retirement warning for anyone on average £35k salary – do you need to act? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITS could end up having £700,000 less in their pension pots than they need for a comfortable retirement, analysis shows. The shocking figures reveal a worker on an average salary of £35,000 starting out today would need a pension pot of nearly £1.2million in 40 years' time to be able to retire comfortably. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 A worker on an average salary will have £740,000 less than needed in their pension pot Credit: Alamy That's according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA). But recent Government figures showed the current minimum level of pension contributions for private sector workers would leave employees with £460,000 at retirement. That's a whopping £740,000 lower than the amount the PLSA says is needed to retire comfortably. Workers are automatically enrolled by their employers to make pension contributions, with the minimum level set at 8% of qualifying earnings. The employer will contribute 3% while the employee covers the remaining 5%. Last year, the PLSA estimated the average Brit would have a shortfall of £640,000 in their pension pot by retirement. But there has been an increase in the estimated cost of affording a comfortable retirement, so workers will now need an extra £100,000. The PLSA says a single person who owns their own home will need an annual post-tax income of £43,900 for a comfortable retirement this year. That's up from £32,800 in 2020. A "comfortable" retirement according to the PLSA includes £150 a week to spend on groceries and meals out, £1,500 a year for clothing and footwear, and an annual fortnight-long four-star holiday in the Mediterranean. What are the different types of pensions? For a more modest standard of living, the same worker would need a pension pot of £729,000. Experts now fear the UK is facing a pensions savings crisis as the minimum contribution level isn't enough to fund retirement properly. If pension contributions were upped to 12%, the average £35,000 earner would have £691,977 in their pension pot by retirement - still a shortfall of hundreds of thousands of pounds. A £50,000 earner would have a pension pot of £658,367 by retirement if they contributed the minimum 8%. If they upped it to 12%, they would have £988,524. How is the Government reforming pensions? The Government is broadly expected to consider its auto-enrolment rules in the next stage of its Pensions Investment Review. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has previously considering copying aspects of Australia's pension contribution system, which forces employers to pay more into employees' pots. But this could prove difficult as businesses have already faced increased costs as they're contributing more National Insurance for employees and the minimum wage has risen too. The Government is currently planning some of the biggest pension reforms in decades. It earlier announced plans to move billions of pounds of pension savings into larger "megafunds". The scheme is aimed at boosting savers' retirement pots as well as investment in the UK. Data from the final report of the Pensions Investment Review showed the move should boost the average earner's pension pot by £6,000 by the time they retire. This is based on the average earner who begins saving at 22 and continues to do so until they reach state pension age.
