China's CN¥ 56.8B Household Paper Market Surges on Volume Growth

Executive Summary

China's online household paper products market reached CN¥ 56.8 billion in MAT2025 (September 2024 to August 2025), growing +11.3% year-on-year (YoY), with volume expansion outpacing value growth as category average prices continue to decline^[1]. A clear bifurcation is emerging: kitchen paper towels (+45.6%), wet toilet paper (+30.9%), and moisturizing tissue (+24.5%) are capturing consumer upgrade demand, while pocket tissue (-10.3%) and regular wet wipes (-4.9%) contract as shoppers migrate toward specialized alternatives. This analysis examines how category dynamics, platform shifts, and brand competition are reshaping China's largest FMCG paper category across Tmall (天猫), JD.com (京东), and Douyin (抖音).

Volume-Driven Expansion Defines Market Trajectory

China's online household paper products market continues its structural shift toward volume-led growth. MAT2025 data across major e-commerce platforms reveals monthly sales volumes consistently exceeding prior-year levels, with April 2025 reaching 255.6 million units versus 162.9 million in April 2024 -- a +56.9% increase that underscores accelerating consumer adoption^[1].

The market exhibits clear seasonality tied to promotional events. The June 618 Festival and November Singles' Day consistently generate the highest monthly revenues, with October 2024 reaching CN¥ 6.06 billion due to earlier Singles' Day pre-sale capture and June 2025 hitting CN¥ 5.92 billion^[1]. While these promotional peaks drive revenue concentration, the steadily rising volume baseline between peaks indicates genuine demand expansion rather than mere promotional dependency.

Household paper products online market reaches CN¥ 56.8 billion MAT2025, with volume growth driving +11.3% YoY expansion

Platform Dynamics: JD.com and Douyin Gain as Tmall Erodes

The competitive balance among China's e-commerce platforms is shifting. Tmall/Taobao's share declined -1.8 percentage points to 41.0% in MAT2025, continuing the gradual erosion observed across multiple consumer categories^[1]. JD.com captured the largest absolute share gain, rising +1.2pp to 26.4%, driven by logistics advantages for bulky paper products and competitive pricing. Douyin's modest +0.6pp gain to 32.6% reflects the platform's content-driven commerce model, particularly effective for premium products like moisturizing tissue where product demonstration creates purchase intent.

Tmall/Taobao share declines to 41.0% as JD.com and Douyin gain ground

Category Bifurcation: Upgrade Categories Surge, Commodities Decline

The most significant structural story in household paper is the clear bifurcation between growth and decline categories. Five categories show strong momentum: kitchen paper towels (+45.6%), wet toilet paper (+30.9%), moisturizing tissue (+24.5%), kitchen wet wipes (+23.0%), and facial cleansing wipes/cotton (+12.3%)^[1]. Meanwhile, three commodity categories are contracting: pocket tissue (-10.3%), regular wet wipes (-4.9%), and toilet roll (-1.1%).

Facial tissue dominates at CN¥ 27.9 billion while kitchen paper towels lead growth at +45.6%

Key Takeaways

• Market scale and momentum: CN¥ 56.8 billion with +11.3% YoY growth, driven by volume expansion as average prices decline across categories
• Category winners: Kitchen paper towels (+45.6%), wet toilet paper (+30.9%), and moisturizing tissue (+24.5%) lead the upgrade wave
• Platform shift: Tmall/Taobao declines to 41.0% share while JD.com (+1.2pp to 26.4%) and Douyin (+0.6pp to 32.6%) gain ground
• Commodity pressure: Pocket tissue (-10.3%), regular wet wipes (-4.9%), and toilet roll (-1.1%) contract as consumers migrate to specialized products
• Strategic implication: Brands must invest in differentiated sub-categories and multi-platform distribution to capture the upgrade cycle

About the Data

This analysis is based on Moojing Market Intelligence's proprietary e-commerce tracking database covering sales transactions, product listings, and pricing across Tmall (天猫), Taobao (淘宝), JD.com (京东), and Douyin (抖音). MAT2025 refers to the Moving Annual Total from September 2024 through August 2025.

^[1] Source: Moojing Market Intelligence, MAT2025 e-commerce tracking data.