Australia has the sh*ts with Kleenex Cottonelle

LOYAL Kleenex customers are washing their hands of the iconic Cottonelle brand after recent changes to its loo rolls sparked toilet trauma.

Tightly wound: That’s how Kleenex explains the change in its toilet roll.

TALK about a load of crap.

Loyal Kleenex customers are washing their hands of the iconic Cottonelle brand in droves after recent changes have sparked a public outcry. In other words, they’ve got the sh*ts.

Early last month, Kimberly-Clarke, the company that makes and distributes the toilet tissue, released a statement confirming some “minor changes” to its product.

“We wanted to let you know what has changed and why,” it read.

According to the company, manufacturing pressures in Australia — notably its Millicent Mill in South Australia — have forced the label to “look for opportunities to increase efficiencies in our operations”.

This included a lighter weight and smaller roll, which was wound more tightly “to facilitate more efficient packaging, shipping and storage in warehouses and on supermarket shelves”.

According to the brand the toilet tissue has the exact same sheet size and number of sheets per roll.

But the public believes differently.

A screengrab of Kleenex Cottonelle’s website, announcing the changes.

Angry consumers have taken to Kleenex Cottonelle’s Facebook page, criticising the brand for misleading the public and accusing them of lying.

Some claim Kleenex has reduced the toilet roll size by ten sheets, from 190 — 180, and believe the quality of the paper has been reduced, accounting for the significant drop in weight and therefore a thinner and inferior product.

They claim the quality of the product has detoriated, while still charging the same price.

“I have absorbed the disappointment of past changes in the rolls that I believe have included thinner paper, pattern changes and a reduction in the number of sheets per roll, however, I can’t ignore the loss of quality any further,” wrote Saul Steed.

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Yet Kleenex denies any wrong doing.

In a statement to news.com.au, a spokesperson confirmed the “minor changes”, but said: “Importantly, there has been no change to the number of sheets per roll. Kleenex Cottonelle still has 180 sheets per roll, which has not changed for over the past two years.”

According to Kleenex, the 10 per cent reduction in paper density is due to the way to toilet paper is wound.

“The technique used to wind the product tighter is the same technique used for our existing Kleenex Cottonelle Long Roll product, which allows us to wind 50% more toilet tissue on the roll,” the spokesperson said.

“As a result, the roll is slightly smaller in diameter and the pack size is minimised to facilitate more efficient packaging, shipping, and storage with fewer resources.

“To ensure we can continue to provide Australian-made, high quality, value for money products to Australians now and in the future, we must continue to look for opportunities to increase efficiencies in our operations.”

“We know from experience that with any product change we receive an increase in consumers getting in touch with us for more information or to provide feedback. We welcome this valuable feedback, which we take on board for future product development.”

Storm in a pee-cup, perhaps?

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