The toilet paper market - France

Toilet paper, generally sold in rolls, is a sub-segment of paper hygiene, a market that includes handkerchiefs, paper towels, cotton pads, cotton buds and so on. Toilet paper is a basic necessity, and is prone to so-called "panic buying" in response to crises. For example, the French rushed to buy toilet paper as soon as the health crisis began in 2020. The global toilet paper market has been growing slightly for the past decade. This growth is set to continue in the coming years, with an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 5.5% until 2027. The European market represents around a quarter of the global market. As a result of the pandemic, the French toilet paper market saw a significant rise in 2020 (+4.5%), followed by a slight fall in 2021 (-1.2%), mainly due to the use by some consumers of stocks prepared the previous year. The French market is relatively fragmented, with industry giants such as Lotus and Okay competing with private labels, and new entrants such as Popee. The supply trend is towards "made in France", while consumers are looking for more responsible products. What's more, high inflation in the first part of 2022 is driving French consumers to reduce their purchases in the hygiene department, or to turn to more affordable products of inferior quality.