A Charmin redesign for 2026 is being framed online as another case of shrinkflation, with some rolls carrying fewer sheets than before.
Side-by-side images circulating online focus on Ultra Strong Mega XXL packs, which appear to drop from 440 sheets to 396, even as the large-size branding stays largely intact.
Here's what to know
Using older Charmin packs alongside Target listings, a Reddit post on r/shrinkflation flagged multiple sheet-count reductions in the Ultra Strong range.
Among the examples, Mega XXL shows the steepest reduction, at 396 sheets per roll versus 440 previously.
The same comparison shows Mega XL falling to 297 sheets from 330, and Mega dropping to 196 from 220.
The roundup extended beyond Ultra Strong to Charmin's Essentials products as well.
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For Essentials, the post suggested the separate Strong and Soft packages are being replaced by a single 407-sheet option; that would be lower than the older 429-sheet Strong version but higher than the older 330-sheet Soft version.
One commenter said the size reductions were enough to change their shopping habits, writing, "I bought Charmin for decades but recently stopped because of this."
More background
The OP framed these 2026 revisions as part of an ongoing trend, not an isolated packaging change.
To support that point, they directed readers to a 2024 comparison and a roundup of older Charmin packages, both used to argue that Charmin rolls keep getting smaller while the "Mega" label has stuck around.
Toilet paper is a staple purchase, and confusing package sizes can make it harder to tell whether a deal is actually a deal.
One commenter said they "made a whole spreadsheet just for Charmin" to compare store packs and added, "I had to use square feet as the unit of measurement because of the absolute shenanigans of how they package them."
Other commenters focused on performance, not just the math.
"It's definitely gone to thinner, smaller squares," one wrote, and others praised the side-by-side images for making the differences easier to notice.
What can be done?
The clearest response in the thread was comparison shopping using better measurements.
Commenters said they now compare square footage, sheet totals, and pack counts across stores instead of relying on labels like Mega, Mega XL, or Mega XXL, which they no longer view as dependable indicators of how much paper is inside.
To build that record, the OP included links to current retailer pages and older product images. That kind of side-by-side tracking makes it easier to see when a packaging refresh may also be masking a smaller product.
Several commenters said they had already switched brands. One pointed to Kirkland as "the only brand that's still the entire width of my TP holder," while another recommended Simply Done after saying its products had shrunk too, "but not as much as other brands."
Commenters also said warehouse-store versions aren't immune.
In a reply, the OP said Charmin Ultra Soft sold at Costco also "went through a packaging change with a size cut."
Where can I learn more?
The complaints in this thread raise questions about how major brands make and market toilet paper.
• Many shoppers are now testing bamboo toilet paper as conventional rolls keep changing.
• The NRDC scorecard put major toilet paper brands under pressure over sourcing.
• Consumers weighing Charmin alternatives are comparing bidets, bamboo, and recycled rolls more closely.
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