Toilet paper sales have risen sharply as UK households respond to government advice to prepare for potential emergencies, with retailers reporting increased demand for everyday essentials alongside torches, radios and tinned food.
According to a report in Independent, bamboo toilet paper brand Cheeky Panda has reported a 43 per cent increase in sales compared with the same period last year, while Serious Tissues recorded a 36 per cent rise over the past five days. Discount retailer B&M also saw toilet paper sales climb by 19 per cent since the guidance was issued.
The increase follows advice for households to keep essential supplies at home in case everyday services are disrupted. Recommended items include bottled water, tinned food, cash and equipment such as wind-up radios and torches.
However, suppliers have cautioned against excessive stockpiling. Cheeky Panda co-founder Julie Chen said having a little extra at home was useful but warned that panic buying could leave shelves empty, echoing scenes seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Serious Tissues has also urged customers not to buy hundreds of toilet rolls at once.
Demand has risen across other emergency essentials too. Electronics retailer Maplin reported sales increases of 92 per cent for radios, 284 per cent for torches and 106 per cent for power banks compared with the same period last month.
The rush to stock up has also affected online grocery availability, with several bottled water brands, including Volvic, Highland Spring and Brecon Carreg, listed as unavailable on Ocado. Some Heinz and Baxters soup ranges were also out of stock.
Toilet paper featured among the top 20 grocery products on Amazon’s bestsellers list on Tuesday, with three products from the category making the list.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it was encouraging that people were taking practical steps to prepare for disruption, including flooding, power cuts and burst pipes. He urged households to keep everyday essentials available without suggesting that large-scale stockpiling was necessary.