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Wood pulp shortage cause price increase for everything from toilet paper to new home building

Posted at 1:12 PM, Apr 14, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-14 13:12:27-04

(WXYZ) — Anything using wood or wood pulp is going up in price right now, and it includes everything from toilet paper to lumber.

The Kimberly-Clark Corporation just announced it will be hiking prices on Cottonelle and Scott toilet paper sometime in June.

The reason? Wood pulp prices, which have jumped 20% in the past year due to shortages and soaring demand.

In a bizarre way, it is connected to the price of lumber, and dependent on the price of raw wood.

The National Association of Home Builders said it's also adding $24,000 to the cost of a new home. So, home building or any major home improvement project will cost you a lot more this year.

When will it end? The builder's group hopes lumber prices ease by this fall as supply re-balances.

As with all pandemic-related price hikes, the price goes up quickly, but will likely take months, if not longer, to fall again.