There are fresh worries of a new toilet roll shortage at UK supermarkets and it comes after a law change from the EU. Supermarket shoppers in the UK are being warned to expect toilet roll shortages in the future after a fresh European Union ban, Birmingham Live reports.
The EU is set to ban products and items tied to deforestation which could have an impact on availability, according to one top boss. Loo roll firm Cheeky Panda owner Chris Forbes said to The Grocer: "There will definitely be a squeeze on availability and we can expect the price of recycled tissue to rise as demand for alternatives increases."
Paper towels, facial tissues and toilet paper all use the raw material. Mr Forbes claimed some of the major brands that produce these products would have to spend "billions" on an "operational transformation" so they adhere to fresh laws.
Are you planning an event for King Charles III’s Coronation? Let us know here
Brand Essity, which makes Velvet, Cushelle and Tork toilet rolls, said: "Essity fully supports any legislation designed to combat deforestation. We have a long history of working closely with our suppliers under strict requirements to ensure that all of our raw materials are sourced ethically and responsibly.
"For companies of Essity’s size, the new EU legislation will come into full effect in 2024 following a transition period that will enable organisations to adapt to any required changes in supply chain. We can say with absolute confidence that there will not be a shortage of toilet roll resulting from changes to EU laws." Vikki Makinson, the head of marketing and communications for tissue maker Accrol, said: "We don’t anticipate paper supply shortages as a result of these regulations but potentially a surge in demand for FSC-certified, PEFC and other sustainably sourced stocks."
In its ‘Cutting deforestation: Market restrictions get real’ paper, MSCI researchers added: “Firms that have been thinking of deforestation as an issue for somebody else or someday down the road, may have to get a handle on it and in a hurry.”
READ NEXT:
