Comments on: Sparkle Paper Towels: “Giant” vs. “Big” Roll Reversal

By: wanda

wanda — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:25:33 +0000

I have used the BIG ROLL SPARKLE for years.The only paper towel I bought.Last week I bought the new ones that have the shortened sheets like some of the other paper towell companies make.I did not realize there had been a change til I opened them. My whole family of four are fussing about the shortened towels. We went through 2 rolls in the time I would usually use only 1.We like the full size sheets and always avoid shortened ones.After years of using sparkle towels I will now be looking for a new towel.I usually buy the 8 roll pack and the new ones are just not economical and just not practical.

By: jmlieder

jmlieder — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:14:49 +0000

When buying paper products like paper towels and toilet paper, I watch for the total sq. footage of paper, not the count of sheets etc. I mean, a simple cut in the size of sheet will yield more sheets with no real change in the product. I compare whether they are 1 ply or 2 ply and the total paper area. In fact I like some of the newer paper towel rolls we get that have half-sheets. Sometimes you don’t need an entire sheet from a standard roll for the purpose you need it for. Why waste the extra half sheet? If you need a full sheet, then take two, need 1 and 1/2, then you can.

By: Cherri

Cherri — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:31:23 +0000

This is going on with the other brands as well. I had a problem with all these “big rolls” barely fitting on my paper towel rack at home. Now all of them slide on effortlessly. I know the rack didn’t magically get larger.

Counting the sheets (as suggested above) doesn’t always work — I have noticed that with some brands the “sheet count” remains the same but the size of the sheets have gotten smaller. The only way I found this out is because I buy in bulk and had some paper towels in the closet from a year ago. I had just gotten down to the last couple of rolls when I went out and bought more. When I was in the bigboxmegadiscount store I had noticed that the mega-pack seemed smaller (it used to not fit in the cart and now it did). So I looked at it and it had the same # of rolls as it had in the past and each roll had the same # of sheets. So I thought I must be imagining things…until I got home and put a roll on the dispenser. Not the usual tight fit — the roll slid right on and had about 1/4″ to spare. Then I tore off a sheet and looked at it closely and that is when I noticed the sheet size was smaller. So I went upstairs and got one of the two rolls I had left over from last year’s purchase and put it next to the new one. Same height…MUCH different “width” AND I also noticed a texture difference — like cheaper materials were being used. It used to have a softer “cushier” feel to it and now it is thinner and rougher. I also discovered you have to use more of these sheets to do the same cleaning job as just one or two of the old ones. So not only are you paying more, getting less but the quality has gone down and you have to use more which means you have to buy more sooner.

By: Frackwit

Frackwit — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:18:37 +0000

Sounds like the Georgia-Pacific Consumer Response Center is staffed by former members of the Marketing Department of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation. In other words, “A bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.”

Thanks to the late Douglas Adams for the quote.

By: georgina love

georgina love — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:38:53 +0000

Years ago, Andy Rooney mentioned the BEST way to check value for money spent on paper goods (apples to apples, though 2-ply vs 2 ply, etc) is to look at the SQUARE FOOTAGE you get, not the number of sheets. Take a look at this with toilet paper, for example…. WOW. I’m in the wrong business!!!!!!!!!! These paper towels, who knows how many square feet? The sheet count is irrelevant. Just came across this site, it’s great! I’m not the only one who’s annoyed!