Toilet Paper, Differently – Part 2

Days are passing by, and rolls are rolling. We invested in new paper, but from the very beginning, there was something unusual about it.

After a few days of use, we still actively compare it with the Lidl brand (Floralys Quilted Toilet Tissue), and suddenly, my wife noticed why Who Gives a Crap (WGaC) toilet paper feels different.

I thought it was nostalgia from the late 80s/early 90s, but no!

Although I mentioned that Lidl-branded rolls do not compare with WGaC rolls, due to size, sometimes size doesn’t matter.

To be exact about size, I am talking about the number of sheets of 3-ply paper.

The size indeed matters, and here was the catch!

The WGaC rolls indeed contain more sheets, but if you look closely, the individual sheets are not the same. The WGaC sheet is shorter than the Lidl brand!

About the size difference in a few moments.

This means that 400 sheets are not 400 sheets when you compare them directly with the Lidl brand.

Because of that, all my previous calculations included errors, and it may be a significant one. Based on its significance, I will rethink whether keeping the subscription is worth it.

The more we use it, the more we notice that the quality and experience are worse. We intended to use the same amount, but to last for longer, yet in reality, it was the total opposite.

Size difference

Lidl Floralys toilet roll (left) vs Who Gives a Crap (right)

400 sheets of paper sound impressive. That’s, in theory, 2.5 times a Lidl-branded roll in one.

When you finish your roll, you will be presented with a fancy core with a QR code that will lead you to the farting button. It may be fun to try this for the first time, but in the long run, you will quickly ignore it.

The core itself is slightly smaller and fits tightly inside the Lidl-branded toilet paper core.

However, it’s all about the details.

I did some tests and checked the weight of the core and the paper itself to compare how much my initial calculations were wrong and how much more expensive WGaC is.

The weights are not super accurate, as they are rounded to the nearest 1g, but it’s enough to conclude the difference.

Each core (Lidl and WGaC) weighs ~4g.

If you look at the sheets themselves and stack them (Lidl vs WGaC) on top of each other, you will quickly notice the difference!

The Lidl-branded sheets are 130×100mm, whereas the WGaC sheets are just 100×100mm. This 30mm (3cm) makes a big difference.

Let’s see how these 400 sheets of shorter paper compare to the 160-sheet Lidl-branded one, knowing already that the 2.5× bigger roll is practically a scam.

The weight difference:

• Lidl – 101g (with core), 97g without core.
• WGaC – 202g (with core), 198g without core.

Here we see that our 2.5× has shrunk to just 2 rolls in one.

Let’s do some maths!

Lidl Paper:

• Total paper weight: 97g (excluding core)
• Number of sheets: 160

Weight per sheet = 97g / 160 sheets = 0.60625g per sheet

WGaC Paper:

• Total paper weight: 198g (excluding core)
• Number of sheets: 400

Weight per sheet = 198g / 400 sheets = 0.495g per sheet

So, Lidl paper sheets are a bit heavier than WGaC paper sheets, and you can feel it!

From our household’s experience, we quickly noticed that instead of saving, we were using more. More sheets used means the WGaC paper runs out quickly.

There were also some complaints about splitting the sheets and the fact that the paper does not flush as well as the Lidl one, forming small clogs, which causes another kind of problem!

Lidl Paper with WGaC Weight:

• Weight per Lidl sheet: 0.60625g
• Total WGaC paper weight: 198g

Number of Lidl sheets at WGaC weight = 198g / 0.60625g per sheet ≈ 326.53 sheets

This simple math exercise shows a stunning difference: 1 roll of Lidl-branded paper, which has 160 sheets, by weight, compares to slightly over 326 sheets of WGaC.

The initial comparison of 2.5× more paper, which later became just 2×, shrank even further!

WGaC Paper with Lidl Weight:

• Weight per WGaC sheet: 0.495g
• Total Lidl paper weight: 97g

Number of WGaC sheets at Lidl weight = 97g / 0.495g per sheet ≈ 196.97 sheets

So, if Lidl paper weighed the same as WGaC, there would be approximately 327 Lidl sheets. If the WGaC paper weighed the same as Lidl, there would be about 197 WGaC sheets.

From this exercise, the WGaC is just 1.23× bigger than Lidl!

Based on that, the whole price comparison from my initial post will be significantly different! Let’s look at how much.

Let’s break down the cost per sheet and the cost per gram for each paper.

Lidl Paper:

• Total sheets: 16 rolls × 160 sheets = 2560 sheets
• Total cost: £4.99

Cost per sheet = £4.99 / 2560 sheets = £0.00195 per sheet

WGaC Paper:

• Total sheets: 48 rolls × 400 sheets = 19200 sheets
• Total cost: £44 (standard price)

Cost per sheet = £44 / 19200 sheets = £0.00229 per sheet

Now, let’s compare the cost per gram of paper (excluding the core weight).

Lidl Paper:

• Total paper weight: 16 rolls × 97g = 1552g
• Cost per gram = £4.99 / 1552g = £0.00322 per gram

WGaC Paper:

• Total paper weight: 48 rolls × 198g = 9504g
• Cost per gram = £44 / 9504g = £0.00463 per gram

Let’s summarise:

• Cost per sheet – Lidl is cheaper at £0.00195 vs. WGaC at £0.00229.
• Cost per gram – Lidl is also cheaper at £0.00322 vs. WGaC at £0.00463.

Lidl paper is more economical both per sheet and per gram of paper.

Let’s calculate the total cost and compare the savings.

Lidl Paper:

• Buying 3 sets of 16 rolls (48 rolls): 3 × £4.99 = £14.97

WGaC Paper:

• Buying 48 rolls: £44 (standard price)

Savings by choosing Lidl = £44 − £14.97 = £29.03

Per Sheet Comparison:

• Lidl total sheets for 3 sets: 3 × 2560 sheets = 7680 sheets

• WGaC total sheets: 19200 sheets

• Cost per sheet for Lidl: £14.97 / 7680 sheets ≈ £0.00195 per sheet

• Cost per sheet for WGaC: £44 / 19200 sheets ≈ £0.00229 per sheet

Per Weight Comparison:

• Total weight for Lidl: 3 × 1552g = 4656g

• Total weight for WGaC: 9504g

• Cost per gram for Lidl: £14.97 / 4656g ≈ £0.00322 per gram

• Cost per gram for WGaC: £44 / 9504g ≈ £0.00463 per gram

Based on the weight differences, you’ll save significantly by choosing Lidl, both in terms of total cost, cost per sheet, and cost per gram.

Conclusion

In my previous post, I concluded with “You may not save money, but you’ll definitely save storage space”.

This doesn’t sound convincing anymore!

It seems that with the new calculations, Lidl’s paper provides significant cost savings, contrary to my initial conclusion.

By choosing Lidl, you can save a substantial £29.03 directly when purchasing an equivalent number of rolls compared to WGaC.

Moreover, Lidl is cheaper per sheet and per gram, making it a more economical choice overall.

This new insight highlights the importance of detailed analysis when evaluating product options. If a product needs heavy advertising to gain customers, there is always a catch!

While my initial considerations might have focused on storage space and aesthetic matters, it’s clear that Lidl also provides a financial advantage. This makes it an excellent choice for those looking to maximise both budget and value, without compromising on storage efficiency.

From that conclusion, you know where I am going with it.

I like to give new ideas a try, but this needs to work!

I fully understand the whole idea behind WGaC by donating 50% of profits to help everyone gain access to clean water and a toilet; however, this doesn’t differ from directly donating to a selected cause, without a middleman.

I have cancelled my subscription, and I consider this chapter of my journey closed.