Six ways to save money on toilet paper

Toilet paper might not be glamorous but it's a product most of us use daily – and with the cost of living crisis continuing to bite us all in the behinds, saving money on it can only be a good thing.

You'll be well aware that loo roll costs more in some stores than others, and indeed we've found you could spend £2.35 more on the same branded pack depending on where you shop.

Here, we share tips from experts and Which? readers to help you avoid throwing money down the toilet.

1. Forget supermarket loyalty

Many people always shop at the same store – but checking rival supermarkets' prices can result in big savings.

For example, when we compared prices on a 16-pack of Andrex Supreme Quilts toilet tissue*, it was £2.35 cheaper at Asda (£9.50) than Ocado (£11.85). 

And the difference between supermarkets' own brands can be even greater, with a four-pack of own-label quilted toilet roll ranging from £1.79 at Aldi and Tesco to £2.90 at Waitrose**.

• Find out more: how to spend less at the supermarket

See our reviews of the best toilet roll

2. Subscribe to save

Supermarkets aren't the only option: loo roll subscription services can sometimes work out cheaper than the well-known brands – and they're often more eco-friendly, too.

• Bumboo has a 48-pack for £44 for a one-off purchase (or £41 if you subscribe)
• Cheeky Panda sells 48 rolls for £35.99
• Naked Sprout has 48 bamboo rolls for £39.99 (or £35.99 if you subscribe)
• Who Gives a Crap charges £44 for 48 rolls. 

Find out more: recycled paper and bamboo toilet tissue subscriptions

3. Switch to own brand

When we checked, a four-pack of Morrisons' own-label toilet tissue was £1.99, while a four-pack of Andrex cost £2.85 – that's 43% more***.

Do bear in mind though that buying the very cheapest option might be a false economy. Gareth Lucy from Essity, which owns brands including Cushelle and Velvet, told Which?: ‘Sometimes the cheapest product can be the thinnest and lowest quality. These typically require more sheets per use, meaning the roll is used up quicker and needs replacing more regularly.’

• Find out more: which is the cheapest supermarket?

4. Check the price per sheet

You might get much better value from one brand's four-pack than another's. This is because the number of sheets on a roll can vary.

So, where possible, compare the unit pricing (price per sheet) as well as the headline price before choosing your paper.

• Find out more: Tesco could be breaking the law due to unclear pricing

5. Reduce your use

Do you fold or scrunch? Research from Who Gives a Crap has revealed that folding uses less paper than scrunching.

But reusable options can be even more economical: cloth wipes from the likes of Cheeky Wipes (costing £49.99 for a kit with 25 wipes) or Etsy (starting at around a fiver for a three-pack) can be washed and used again. 

Or you could even consider a bidet – you don’t have commit to getting one installed, at least not before figuring out if it will work for you. Some Which? members told us they've tried travel bidets, which you can buy from Amazon for around £10. 

• Find out more: best and worst bathroom brands

6. Buy in bulk

Provided you have sufficient storage space, buying in bulk can work out much cheaper than buying small packs or individual rolls, particularly if it's on special offer.

• Find out more: the groceries you should never pay full price for

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Our research

All prices included in the article include standard discounts but not loyalty prices or multibuys.

*Which? captured prices for a 16-pack of Andrex Supreme Quilts toilet tissue from Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose on 13 September 2023. We didn't include Aldi or Lidl as they don't stock as wide a variety of branded items. 

**We tracked prices of own-label four-packs of quilted toilet tissue from Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose for the month to 12 September 2023. 

***Prices for a four-pack of Andrex Classic Clean and Morrisons Oh So Soft toiler paper captured on 4 October 2023. 

This story was updated on 12 October 2023. We previously stated that Naked Sprout's 48-pack of toilet roll was £23.50, and this has now been amended to £39.99.