Public toilets in China are now requiring users to watch an advertisement before receiving toilet paper, a move that has been labelled 'dystopian' by critics. A video shared by China Insider shows a person scanning a QR code on the dispenser, viewing a short advert, and then receiving a few squares of paper.
Users who prefer not to watch the ad can pay 0.5 RMB (about 5p) to skip it. Authorities claim the system reduces waste, as some people were taking excessive amounts of free toilet paper. However, the initiative has faced heavy criticism, with many suggesting they would carry their own tissues instead.
Hygiene concerns have also been raised, particularly for those whose phones have run out of battery or who lack spare change. This is not the first time China has restricted toilet paper use; in 2017, public loos at the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing installed dispensers with facial recognition software, dispensing a 60cm strip and requiring a nine-minute wait before another dispense. Park officials clarified that staff would provide paper directly in urgent cases.
