A reader of our Toilet Paper Encyclopedia recently posed an interesting question by asking us “How much toilet paper is stolen every year?”.

Since I personally didn’t know the answer to this intriguing question, I went straight to Kenn Fischburg, president of ToiletPaperWorld.com and author of the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia. Here’s what the Toilet Paper King had to say:

While there is no public information available about how much toilet paper is stolen every year in the US or across the globe, manufacturers use the issue of ’stealing’ in their marketing strategies when creating toilet paper dispensers and the inner core which the toilet paper itself is rolled on. The idea is that a person is less likely to steal the toilet paper  if they cannot use it easily at home or if it is difficult to take off of the toilet paper dispenser.

For instance, a jumbo toilet paper roll (the ones most common in public restroom) is too large to put under your sweater or in your briefcase. Plus, jumbo toilet paper cannot be used on a household toilet paper dispenser. Also, the dispensers usually have  a lock or are difficult to open, both which help prevent the stealing of toilet paper.

Stealing toilet paper is a big part of the decision process for commercial enterprises when selecting the kind of dispenser and the type of toilet paper to stock in their restrooms.

Also, storage of the TP itself can sometimes be an issue. To help with this matter, it is generally stored in a locked closet to prevent stealing from a company.

Do some customers or employees steal toilet paper? Yes. How much toilet paper is stolen overall? My most educated guess is less than 2%.

Cuban retirees are selling copies of Cuban Newspapers, such as Gramma, to deal with the toilet paper shortage and make some profit for themselves

By now most of us are probably aware of the dreaded toilet paper shortage facing Cuba.  (For those that aren’t – Cuban officials announced last month due to tough economic times and three successive hurricanes that plagued the communist country last year, they may experience a shortage by year’s end.)

While a truly awful situation, one Havana retiree claims the shortage has created a lucrative business opportunity for Cuban senior citizens.  The retiree, speaking anonymously for fear of getting caught, says he and other seniors are currently buying and reselling newspapers as an alternative to toilet paper.

The process works like this – before dawn, they line to purchase surplus newspaper for 20 Cuban cents (.007 USD) from factories/offices that were forced to close due to the ailing economy. They then turn around and resell the paper to friends and neighbors for 20 Cuban pesos (.71 USD).

While one Cuban official has said the government will import enough TP by years end to alleviate the shortage, I credit the seniors for their entrepreneurship.

If you’ve visited our resource site recently, the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia, you may have noticed some changes and additions around the site. As with any encyclopedia, maintaining up-to-date and accurate information is key, and the Toilet Paper Encyclopedia is no exception.

We’ve added updates all around, including the addition of detailed environmental information, two new manufacturers (Marcal and SCA), and an “In the News” section highlighting some of our proudest moments with the Encyclopedia.

Take a look around and as always, if you have questions on anything you see or would like to see, please shoot us an email here.  In case its not obvious yet, we looove talking about toilet paper.  Thanks to everyone who has visited The Toilet Paper Encyclopedia over the years and has helped make it a huge success.  We couldn’t be prouder.

Keep on rolling!