TORONTO -- Scenes of panic-buying around the world since the outbreak of COVID-19 has prompted some consumers to stockpile toilet paper, leaving some store shelves across Canada bare.
But the country鈥檚 largest manufacturer of toilet paper, Kruger Products, has reassured Canadians there is no danger of toilet paper running out.
Kruger鈥檚 chief executive officer Dino Bianco told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview that a number of factors were contributing to this spike in demand.
鈥淥ne is that people are preparing for self-quarantine so they鈥檙e stocking up,鈥 he said.
鈥淧eople are staying home more because they鈥檙e not travelling鈥 so they鈥檙e going to use more and then you鈥檝e got this third piece which is panic-buying. These people when they see an empty shelf their fear is that there鈥檚 no more toilet paper and they start stocking up more.鈥
Bianco said some stores are out of stock for the short term and that his company was trying to catch up with demand with extra production runs.
鈥淭oilet paper is a big product, it takes up a lot of space on the shelf鈥 and when it鈥檚 empty it鈥檚 very visual,鈥 he said.
鈥淪o people started snapping pictures鈥hat I think sets of a little bit of panic. You have social media also inflating this, so I think it鈥檚 a whole part of this cycle of fear and concern and misinformation that is out there.鈥
He said Kruger was working 24/7 at its seven facilities across Canada to make its toilet paper brands, including Cashmere and Purex, and its other products which include facial tissue brand Scotties and its paper towels.
鈥淭here isn鈥檛 a structural shortage of toilet paper in the country, we鈥檙e not going to run out,鈥 Bianco added.
He believes the tissue industry should be able to recover 鈥渟oon鈥 and added that availability for shoppers depends on location and the time of day they visit a store because of the timing of deliveries.
Demand has been consistent across the country, he said.
鈥淲e have pulp in Canada, we have the raw materials available to make the product,鈥 Bianco said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not importing tissue from another country that has to cross the border and takes a long time to get here, so it鈥檚 a pretty controlled supply chain. For the most part we are controlled within the country of Canada with respect to supply and production.鈥
Bianco asked people to be calm and patient while stocks are resupplied in the coming days and weeks.
Kruger produces about a third of all tissue products in Canada.
鈥淭oilet paper usage doesn鈥檛 change whether there鈥檚 a pandemic or not,鈥 Bianco said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an interesting place where we are right now.鈥
