Incorrect Claims Incorrectly Corrected by Kimberly Clark

Talk about a tongue twister! Just try saying that 10 times fast. That's not all that's twisted though. The math is too, and spun!

April 11, 2007
Toilet paper price rise claims incorrect

Recent media reports of a 103% price rise in toilet tissue are incorrect and are based on a misreading of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data by Family First researchers in Senator Steve Fielding’s office.

Kimberly Clark's correction is also based on a misreading of the data. You'd think they'd be extra careful knowing that there had already been one statistical mistake, but alas, that was apparently not the case.

In 2004, the ABS quoted on a 4 roll pack of toilet tissue, but in 2006 it used an 8 roll pack in its statistics.

Kimberly Clark didn't feel the need to point out that the 4 roll pack had 220 sheets per roll, but the 8 roll pack only had 190 sheets per roll. Surely they should have noticed. I did and I'm not even a toilet paper expert (although some might disagree, lol). The data clearly shows it. No digging deep required.

In reality, price per roll of toilet tissue has changed by 6%...

In reality, that is true. But in practice, the rolls are not the same size so it is actually a completely useless statistic. In fact, it is every bit as useless as the original claim by the media.

In December of 2004, "Toilet paper (4 x 220 sheet rolls)" cost an average of 305.375 cents in 2004. (I simply averaged the prices in the 8 cities provided.) That's 0.347 cents per sheet.

In December of 2006, "Toilet paper (8 x 190 sheet rolls)" cost an average of 649.25 cents in 2006. That's 0.427 cents per sheet.

That's a 23% increase per sheet in just 2 years. That's an average increase of 10.9% per year.

Kimberly Clark was rightfully concerned about the first statistical mistake. The number of rolls was not held constant. The outlandish inflation claim by the media made Kimberly Clark look worse than they really were.

Kimberly Clark had no problem whatsoever abusing that VERY SAME type of statistical mistake. The number of sheets was not held constant either. By not acknowledging it, Kimberly Clark made Kimberly Clark look better than they really were.

There's a word for this behavior. It's called hypocrisy.

Fortunately, governments do account for the quantity of an item when determining consumer price inflation. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the mass media and/or Kimberly Clark it seems. Two wrongs clearly don't always make a right.

As scary as this sounds (and believe me it is scary), I trust government more than I trust the mass media and/or global corporations. That's not really saying much though. Sigh.

And lastly, sorry Australia. Apparently you should have stocked up on toilet paper in 2004 when you had the chance.