68,000-Roll Donation Helps Food Banks Canada Tackle the Growing Challenge of Hygiene Poverty
Bunzl Canada employees deliver essential hygiene products to Canadians
BURLINGTON, Ontario, Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In recognition of National Toilet Paper Day, Bunzl Canada is making its largest donation to date to help address hygiene poverty across the country. Through its partnership with Food Banks Canada, the national distributor is donating 68,000 rolls of toilet paper, providing a household necessity to individuals and families experiencing financial hardship. The contribution reinforces Bunzl Canada’s commitment to supporting healthier communities while raising awareness of the growing need for hygiene products among vulnerable Canadians.
Food Banks Canada reports that 24% of Canadians experience food insecurity, an issue worsened by rising housing and living expenses. As costs continue to climb, hygiene poverty is a growing issue as well. Canada’s hygiene poverty survey found that 65% of community facilities such as schools, food banks, and shelters reported that community members they serve went without basic hygiene products more than 10 times within the year in 2025. 72% cited financial insecurity as the leading cause of hygiene poverty.
“For many Canadian families, the high cost of housing and everyday household expenses leaves little room in the budget for essential hygiene products,” said Margo Hunnisett, Vice President, Marketing & Communications at Bunzl Canada. “No one should need to choose between paying rent or putting food on the table and purchasing basic necessities like toilet paper. Through this partnership, and the participation of our generous vendor partners, we’re not only supporting people in need in communities across Canada but raising awareness of the issue of hygiene poverty.”
Bunzl donated REGARD® and DuraPlus® brand toilet tissue, along with generous donations from vendor partners Cascades, Sunset, Essity, Kimberly-Clark Professional, and Kruger. The collective donation was distributed by Food Banks Canada to local food banks across the country.
“What makes this initiative so meaningful is the collaboration behind it,” said John Howlett, President of Bunzl Canada. “By bringing together Bunzl, our vendor partners, and Food Banks Canada, we’re able to make a greater impact in providing support and dignity to people in communities all across the country. National Toilet Paper Day has become an important opportunity to support Canadians in need while demonstrating what can be achieved when organizations work together toward a common goal.”
Food Banks Canada’s proven success in executing transformative projects, paired with Bunzl Canada’s commitment to community sustainability and relationships with the industry’s leading paper product vendors, makes this annual collaboration a natural fit. Together, they aim to deliver essential hygiene products to Canadians in need, helping them redirect limited resources toward food, housing, and other necessities.
“Food banks continue to see historic demand from people who never imagined they would need this kind of support,” said Erin Filey-Wronecki, Chief Development and Partnerships Officer, Food Banks Canada. “While toilet paper may seem like a simple household item, it is an essential necessity that many individuals and families struggle to afford. Donations like this help ensure people in Canada can access the everyday essentials and ease some of the pressure many households face each day. “
For more information on how individuals and businesses can help reduce food insecurity, hygiene poverty, and contribute items of greatest need, please contact your local food bank or visit Food Banks Canada.
For more information about Bunzl Canada and its BUNZL FOR BETTER initiative, visit https://bunzlcanada.ca/bunzl-for-better/
About Bunzl Canada
Bunzl Canada Inc. (bunzlcanada.ca) provides the cleaning and hygiene products and equipment, food and retail packaging, safety products and industrial supplies which keep over 59,000 Canadian businesses running optimally every day. The company brings its customers the advantage of global sourcing, product innovation and national scale combined with responsive local service and deep category expertise. Bunzl Canada Inc. is an operating company of Bunzl plc (BNZL.L), a FTSE100 company listed on the London Stock Exchange in the Support Services sector.
About Food Banks Canada
Food Banks Canada is the leader in addressing food insecurity in Canada. Our mission is to provide national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast to coast to coast. For over 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping people living in Canada with food insecurity.
Over 5,500 food banks and community organizations come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours, who — this year — made close to 2.2 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report.
Since 2010, Food Banks Canada has shared over $1.2 billion in food supports and over $292 million in funding to help strengthen the food bank network to meet demand and improve access where it’s needed most—while, backed by leading research, advocating for meaningful actions from governments to counter hunger and its root causes.
Our vision is clear: to create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit foodbankscanada.ca to learn more.
Media Inquiries
Margo Hunnisett
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Bunzl Canada Inc.
margo.hunnisett@bunzlcanada.ca
(905) 630-3749
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/192fd71b-916e-4277-adc8-4fc049d1a711
