The short answer: supermarket toilet paper is usually made from wood pulp or recycled paper, and multipacks often come wrapped in plastic film. Master Roll is made from bamboo, 3-ply with 300 sheets a roll, unscented with no added fragrance or dyes, bleached without elemental chlorine (ECF) and individually wrapped in paper.
Toilet paper is one of those things we all buy without thinking too much about it. It’s always on the shopping list and we often grab whatever’s on offer at the supermarket. But have you ever stopped to wonder is all toilet paper really the same?
Not quite.
There can be a real difference between supermarket toilet paper and a bamboo roll like Master Roll. It goes beyond softness and price: it’s about what’s inside the roll, how it’s made and how it’s packaged.
Let’s break it down so you can see exactly what makes Master Roll different and decide what matters most to you.
1. What It’s Made From: Trees vs Bamboo
Supermarket toilet paper is commonly made from virgin wood pulp, often eucalyptus blended with some softwood, and some ranges use recycled paper.
Master Roll, on the other hand, is made from bamboo: a fast-growing grass whose stems can be cut without killing the plant, so a managed stand regrows.
🌳 Supermarket Toilet Paper:
- Usually made from wood pulp or recycled paper
- Impact depends on where the wood comes from and how the forest is managed
- Trees are harvested less often than bamboo
🎋 Master Roll Bamboo Toilet Paper:
- Made from bamboo
- Commercial bamboo usually matures in four to five years, according to the FAO
- Regrows after harvest without replanting
Verdict: bamboo regrows quickly, but whether a roll is greener overall depends on how and where it’s made (more on that below).
2. Packaging: Plastic Film vs Paper
When you buy a big pack of supermarket toilet paper, it usually comes in single-use plastic film. Whether you can recycle that film depends on your council or a store collection point.
Master Roll does it differently. Each roll is individually wrapped in paper, not plastic film, and the wrapper helps keep it clean until you open it.
📦 Supermarket Brands:
- Usually plastic film
- Rolls are unwrapped once the pack is open
🧻 Master Roll:
- Paper-wrapped rolls
- Each roll stays wrapped until you use it
- Handy for storing spares in a cupboard
Verdict: if you’d rather avoid plastic film around your loo roll, paper-wrapped rolls are an easy swap.
3. Hygiene: Wrapped vs Unwrapped
Have you ever dropped a roll of toilet paper in the bathroom? If it’s unwrapped, it’s probably going straight in the bin.
Master Roll’s individually wrapped rolls stay protected from dust, damp and splashes until you open them. Whether you’re storing them in a cupboard or taking one on the go, the wrapper helps keep each roll clean.
Bonus: It’s a great choice for guest bathrooms, travel, offices and even Airbnb properties.
4. Strength and Softness: Quality You Can Feel
Let’s talk comfort. Supermarket toilet paper ranges from thin budget rolls to thick, quilted “luxury” ones, so it’s worth comparing the ply and the number of sheets on each roll.
Master Roll is made using 3-ply bamboo sheets, with 300 sheets on every roll. Three plies give each sheet a thicker, more cushioned feel, and bamboo’s longer fibres help it hold together.
💪 Supermarket Toilet Paper:
- Ply varies by range
- Sheets per roll vary, so compare like for like
- Check the pack for added fragrance, lotion or dyes
✨ Master Roll:
- Soft, 3-ply bamboo
- 300 sheets per roll
- Unscented, with no added fragrance or dyes
Verdict: if you like a thick, soft sheet, a 3-ply roll with 300 sheets is a good place to start.
5. What’s Added: Fragrance, Dyes and Bleaching
Most toilet paper, including bamboo, is bleached to make it white, and some supermarket ranges add fragrance, lotion or colour. Some people prefer to avoid these additives.
Master Roll is:
- Bleached without elemental chlorine (ECF)
- Unscented, with no added fragrance
- Free from added dyes
If you’d rather keep added perfumes and dyes out of your bathroom, that makes it a simple choice.
6. Environmental Impact
The environmental cost of any toilet paper depends on where its fibre comes from, how the mill is powered, how it’s packaged and how far it travels.
Here’s where Master Roll differs from a typical supermarket multipack:
- Each roll wrapped in paper rather than plastic film
- Made from bamboo, a fast-growing grass that regrows after harvest
- Bleached without elemental chlorine (ECF)
Bamboo isn’t automatically greener on every measure, though. For the full picture, including the downsides, read how regular and bamboo toilet paper compare on environmental impact.
7. Value for Money
Sure, supermarket toilet paper can be cheap, and on price per roll it often wins. The fairer comparison is price per sheet, because sheets per roll and ply vary so much.
Master Roll offers:
- 300 sheets on every roll, and our lowest price per sheet in our 48-roll pack
- 3-ply sheets for a thicker, more cushioned feel
- Free UK delivery, usually within 2–5 business days
To compare fairly, divide the pack price by the total number of sheets. Our guide to choosing eco-friendly toilet paper shows the price-per-sheet method step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is biodegradable toilet paper different from regular toilet paper?
Not as much as the label suggests. All toilet paper is made from plant fibre and is designed to lose strength and break up in water after flushing, unlike wet wipes. How quickly any paper breaks down after that depends on conditions, so we don’t put a timescale on ours. Whatever you buy, flush only the 3Ps: pee, paper and poo.
Is supermarket toilet paper cheaper than Master Roll?
Often, yes, especially on offer: budget supermarket rolls usually cost less per roll. The fair way to compare is price per 100 sheets (pack price ÷ total sheets × 100), because sheet counts and ply vary. Master Roll’s 48-roll pack has our lowest price per sheet.
Final Thoughts: What’s the Real Difference?
The real difference between Master Roll and supermarket toilet paper comes down to three things: what it’s made from, how it’s packaged and what’s added.
If you care about:
- Bamboo fibre that regrows after harvest
- Paper wrapping instead of plastic film
- A soft, 3-ply roll with no added fragrance or dyes
… then Master Roll is worth a try.
Every roll is made from bamboo, 3-ply and individually wrapped in paper. And if it’s not for you, unused packs in their original packaging can be returned free within 30 days.
Make the switch. Feel the difference. 🌿
