Japanese citizens are stockpiling huge amounts of toilet roll
according to manufacturers. Sales have increased by a massive 500
million rolls since 2008 despite the fact that the country’s population
has declined significantly since then.
The extra sales are even
stranger as many toilets in Japan have built-in cleaning and drying
functions, meaning that toilet paper isn’t strictly necessary for most
trips to the loo. However, surveys have revealed that many citizens
don’t trust these system and instead choose to use the traditional
method of using toilet paper.
Experts believe that the stockpiling
is a result of government advice to have a month’s supply to ensure
that if there is a natural disaster such as an earthquake or tsunami
then people would still have toilet roll in their homes. One woman
explained how she had much more than the recommended 15 rolls, as she
has enough to stretch almost 2.5 miles. “They don’t go bad, so knowing that we have them on hand is a relief,” she said.
