Toilet Paper Shortages Cause Demand for Bidets to Shoot Up

For many US consumers, the quest for toilet paper has been a Sisyphean ordeal, as stores have either sold out of or greatly limited purchases of this once humble product. However, some consumers have decided to largely eliminate this quest for toilet paper by installing a product only rarely seen in the US bathroom: the bidet.

Common in Europe and much of Asia, bidets sharply reduce or even eliminate the need for toilet paper. While bidets have traditionally been large standalone fixtures, many of newer bidet models are smaller in size. Indeed, many of these units can be attached to existing toilet fixtures and can be run on existing water supply lines – eliminating the need for costly plumbing work.

Bidets provide a number of additional advantages:

• environmental – toilet paper production in the US is an energy- and water-intensive process, not to mention the virgin paper pulp and chlorine involved for most types
• on-site plumbing protection – reduced use of toilet paper can minimize the incidence of clogs and extend the service of a home’s drain, waste, and vent systems
• improved municipal waste treatment – sewer systems will find it easier to treat waste water, as there will be less toilet paper to break down in waste treatment systems
• home value – installing a bidet can create a bathroom with a more modern or European style, enhancing both its utility and value
• hygiene and skin protection – bidets clean better than paper and are gentler on delicate skin
• economics – reduced spending on toilet paper will cover the cost of a more basic add-on bidet option within 6 months

Still, bidet suppliers have a cultural resistance to overcome in the US. However, the scarcity of toilet paper – particularly high-end varieties – has created an opportunity on which the industry can capitalize. Consumer education, increasing exposure to bidets in travel and high-end hotels, and appealing to younger and environmentally concerned consumers will further boost sales.

For more information, see The Freedonia Group’s recent publications, including the full industry study covering Plumbing Fixtures & Fittings (which includes coronavirus market impact analysis) and the special slide deck COVID-19 Impact Report: Plumbing Fixtures & Fittings (which covers the current crisis and places it in the historical context of other recent economic crisis).