In 2021, the production volume of the Turkish tissue papers industry was 1 million tons, while the global figure is expected to exceed 44 million tons.
According to the latest global data on the tissue papers industry, the sector has reached a market volume of USD 50 billion. With the impact of post-pandemic dynamics, the industry is expected to continue its global advance with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% over the next five years.
Rising consumer health and hygiene awareness and the growing working urban population globally are seen as the most significant growth drivers in the tissue papers market. New momentum in the tourism industry is also expected to support growth. Additionally, the hospitality industry is expected to contribute to the market, mainly due to changing lifestyles and consumer habits.
According to the Euromonitor International Top 10 Global Consumer Trends Report 2021, while hygienic and economical products stood out in consumer preferences, natural consumption opportunities, sustainable alternatives, and tendencies towards online channels have begun to gain importance.
The globally observed rise in average annual per capita consumption of tissue papers continued during the year. In the US, the figure was 25 kg, while in the EU it reached levels close to 20 kg. The per capita consumption in Turkey, which is still below 10 kg, is seen as an opportunity for manufacturers to improve production and consumption in parallel. The industry aims to increase consumption through promotional and awareness-raising activities.
While the US and China maintain their ranking in terms of turnover in the global market, India and Japan are expected to scale the peak in the tissue papers industry in the coming period. Production in Turkey reaches 1 million tons per annum, while global production volume is expected to exceed 44 million tons (RISI). About 30% of the production is exported, with 70% supplied to the domestic market.
TRENDS IN TURKEY
Production investments, demand growth, and needs that develop parallel to rising supply lead to healthy growth for the Turkish tissue papers industry. As the demand for tissue papers increased with the pandemic, consumer expectations regarding “hygiene and sustainability” are also being reshaped.
"Quality and hygiene" are the two vital criteria for the Turkish consumer. In 2021, hygiene products stood out for having increased their turnover the most among the FMCG categories. On the other hand, paper products were among the top-three categories to increase their sales by quantity.
The “sustainability concern” among consumers has become a key consideration in this period. It was observed that a perceived sustainability approach impacted the tissue paper choices of seven out of every ten people as consumers turned to environmentally friendly products.
According to 2021 data, tissue papers in Turkey reached a turnover of TRY 4.6 billion with a household penetration of 90% and growth of 33% (Nielsen 2021). The leading sales channels were hypermarkets and discount markets, while the rise of the online channel also attracted attention.