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GP PRO Survey Shows Increase in Bad Bathroom Behavior

Nearly half of respondents to a recent survey by GP PRO believe that Americans are behaving worse in public now than they did in the two to three years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In conducting the study, GP PRO queried more than 1,000 U.S. adults on how they would describe the state of society today. A significant number of respondents expressed dissatisfaction, describing the behavior of the general public as chaotic, disrespectful, and selfish, with nearly 60% witnessing such behavior in the last three months.

Of the 27% of survey respondents who specifically observed damage to public property, nearly 70% saw it take place in a public restroom, far more than in a bar (41%), on a public street (39%), or at an event venue (36%). GP PRO’s own customer service data confirms this troubling and growing trend. From January through October of 2023, GP PRO saw a 40% increase in reports of damage to restroom equipment and dispensers over all of 2022.

“We’re discovering that public restrooms are especially susceptible to abuse and damage to property due to privacy requirements that make them virtually impossible to thoroughly surveil,” said Ronnie Phillips, Ph.D., GP PRO senior director of washroom innovation. “While we can’t change how people behave in public, GP PRO continues to design dispensers that are tough inside and out to help withstand abuse, minimize damage, and deliver a positive user experience.”

Access the complete GP PRO survey here.

About GP PRO
Based in Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are among the world’s leading manufacturers and marketers of bath tissue, paper towels and napkins, tableware, paper-based packaging, office papers, cellulose, specialty fibers, nonwoven fabrics, building products, and related chemicals. The company operates approximately 150 facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people directly and creates nearly 89,000 jobs indirectly. GP PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific, manufactures and sells well-known brands like ActiveAire®, Angel Soft® Professional Series, Brawny®, Compact®, Dixie®, Dixie Ultra®, enMotion®, and Pacific Blue™. GP PRO products meet restroom, foodservice, and break room needs for office buildings, health care, foodservice, high-traffic, lodging, retail, and education facilities, plus a wide range of industrial and manufacturing facilities in North America. For more information, visit www.gppro.com.