Kampala, Uganda | URN | Toilet paper is one of the most most cracked down for standards by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), according to frequency of the operations.
It is also one of the fastest-running consumer products used and manufactured locally.
The recent operations saw close to 8,000 rolls seized from stores in Kampala and Entebbe, from where they are distributed to vendors on roadsides, markets and bus and taxi parks, among other crowded places.
The latest crackdown was on products that were not properly packages, with some just wrapped in bunches of 12, with no label whatsoever on the wrapping materials, while most of the pieces sold to the public are served bare.
Ironically, some of these products are preferred by some consumers, who find them “good quality”, according to their personal observations, especially because they do not easily tear or lint (unwanted release or shedding of small fibers, particles, or loose paper bits from the sheet during use).
Some tissue leaves behind tiny residues on skin, clothing, or surfaces, or to generate dust that disperses into the air, which can be harmful to human health.
”They are even better than some of the well wrapped brands which even bear the UNBS Q-mark,” remarked one person who has brought toilet paper at the New Taxi Park in Kampala.
UNBS says that the unlabeled products could have other hidden risks not visible to the ordinary person, the reason why they should not be allowed on the market.
”UNBS has developed clear standards to regulate the quality of toilet paper available on the market. These standards outline the specifications necessary for safe and hygienic products,” says Sylvia Kirabo, Principal Public Relations Office at UNBS.
The standards include US (Uganda Standard) 126:2019, which specifies requirements, sampling, and test methods for toilet paper made from virgin, blended, or recycled pulp.
The EAS 355 series provides more detailed, harmonized specifications across East Africa and is explicitly adopted or referenced by UNBS as part of the regulatory framework for safe and hygienic products. US EAS 355-1:2025 focuses on regular toilet tissue paper, while US EAS 355-2:2022 gives specifications for Jumbo toilet tissue paper.
Jumbo toilet paper refers to rolls significantly bigger than the standard household toilet paper, with lengths usually ranging from 800–2,000 feet (up to 600 metres) per roll and sheets in their thousands.
”These are harmonised with or based on East African Standards (EAS) and focus on quality, performance, and ensuring products are safe and hygienic for consumer use,” says UNBS.
Abubaker Bakulumpagi, the Head of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Division at UNBS, says whether or not the unlabeled products are good is not the issue because they already violate the standards on labeling.
He says that the challenge here is that they cannot be traced to a specific producers, making standards regulation difficult.
The standards also provide standards of the production processes as well as of the premises to ensure safety.
The standards emphasize that toilet paper must be safe for intimate skin contact and general use, through it is not treated as a medical device. Focus is on preventing irritation, contamination, or physical harm.
”Chemicals (including dyes) used in manufacture shall not be harmful nor cause irritation to human beings (or skin) when used for its intended purpose,” says the standards, emphasising this as a core safety clause to protect users from allergic reactions or discomfort during use.
On premises and processes, the standards provide that the product must be manufactured, packaged, and handled under good hygienic practice, and must not be exposed to conditions that compromise hygiene at any stage.
Products must also be free from defects such as fibre bundles, wood splinters, or other impurities that could cause physical irritation, abrasion, or injury to skin and/or mucous membranes, on top of being free from holes or malformations beyond specified limits.
Other clauses provide for moisture content, the chemical, acidity content and microbiological limits, as well as water absorption capacity, among others.
While Certified manufacturers are happy with the crackdown, they say compliance with all the standards can be costly especially for smaller players, particularly regarding imported materials.
According to Walter Adhola, production manager at Tender Rolls, shifting from cheap raw materials from China to high-quality ones like from the UK, makes production costs high.
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