Toilet Tissue

Sales of toilet tissue weren't on a roll during the past year as dollar sales fell 1% in food, drug and mass channels combined. The drop in dollar sales wasn't as dramatic as in unit sales, which fell 2.8% in the supermarket channel. Observers speculate that in addition to purchasing fewer units of toilet paper, consumers also sought lower-quality varieties to help save money. But now a published report indicates that the trend could be turning around as demand for luxurious varieties like two-ply are on the rise. It cited research from RISI, an information provider for the global forests products industry, that identified a 13% increase in tissue production. Procter & Gamble has also reported that its upscale Charmin brand is seeing strong sales growth, according to the report. In addition, it noted that Quilted Northern Ultra Plush bath tissue generated $125 million in first-year sales, enough to gain placement on SymphonyIRI's list of New Product Pacesetters.