Canstar Blue’s latest tissues review has compared Kleenex, Quilton, ALDI Confidence, Sorbent, Symphony, Coles, Woolworths Essentials and Azure on strength & quality, softness, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Kleenex has blown the competition away in Canstar Blue’s latest tissues review, scoring five stars for softness, strength and quality, packaging design and overall satisfaction.
Facial tissues have come a long old way since the humble handkerchief! Think hypoallergenic, lavender, eucalyptus and aloe vera fusions, giving consumers plenty of choice for their nose-y needs. Tissues are certainly a supermarket staple for many Australians. And besides the big-name brands, there are also a number of homebrand alternatives, so what’s best? Is it worth spending more on the named brands, or do the supermarket labels tick all the boxes? This is exactly what our customer review aims to find out.
We’ve surveyed more than 1,900 shoppers and asked about their recent purchase of tissues to identify which brands make up the perfect blend of quality and price. Consumers rated their brand on strength and quality, softness, packaging design, value for money, and overall satisfaction. Brands that received at least 30 survey responses are featured in our report.
So, which brand topped the results? Kleenex successfully sniffed out what Aussies want and rated best with five stars for overall satisfaction and in several other research categories!
Here are the best brands of tissues in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s latest review:
Kleenex topped our ratings after receiving five stars for strength and quality, softness, packaging design and overall satisfaction. Runner-up Quilton also scored top marks for softness and packaging, while ALDI Confidence rated best for value for money.
Read on for an overview of the brands in our ratings, followed by what to consider when buying facial tissues.
Kleenex has been around since the 1920s, launching in Australia the following decade. Kleenex offers various lines of tissues, including its ‘Wellbeing’ tissues in three options – aloe vera, eucalyptus and allergy comfort tissues. It also has the Everyday range which features three-ply thickness, plus ‘To Go’ packs for when you’re out and about, as well as anti-bacterial wipes.
Products include:
Kleenex was rated best for softness, strength and quality, packaging design, and overall satisfaction. It also achieved four stars for value for money.
Quilton offers a range of two, three and four-ply facial tissues, claiming to not just be for your nose but ideal for make-up removal, mopping up small spills, and wiping away any tears. You might like to take these with you if you’re watching a rom-com at the movies! Its two-ply line is a hypoallergenic option, designed for those who suffer from mild skin irritations. Quilton also has new cooling lotion tissues available in two varieties, (vitamin E and menthol & eucalyptus), which contain a soothing lotion formula to feel cool to the touch and easy on the skin, according to the brand.
Quilton’s range includes:
Quilton impressed on softness and packaging design, scoring five-star reviews, before finishing on four stars for overall satisfaction, strength and quality, and value for money.
The German supermarket is a favourite for many household staples, including meat, coffee beans and chocolate blocks. Its facial tissues come packed in a number of fairly funky and modern designs, with each pack containing 224 two-ply white facial tissues. The range also features aloe vera and vitamin E-infused tissues, claimed to be hypoallergenic.
Products include:
ALDI Confidence was rated best for value for money, receiving the only five-star review for that category. It also landed on four stars for overall satisfaction and everywhere else.
Sorbent launched in Australia in 1952 and provides toilet paper and facial tissues in its range. Sorbent’s facial tissues are available in Soft White, Thick & Large and Hypoallergenic, stated to offer something for every member of the family. Its hypoallergenic facial tissues come in a 175-pack and are claimed to be dermatologically tested for use on sensitive skin with no additives, ink, dyes or perfumes.
Sorbent’s range includes:
Sorbent maintained a solid four stars across most research areas, including softness, strength and quality, value for money and overall satisfaction. It got three stars for packaging design.
Symphony tissues are available exclusively from Woolworths. The range is said to be soft to the touch yet two-ply strong and low lint. Also, it supposedly uses recycled waste paper for its packaging wherever possible, with no chlorine used in its tissue-making process.
At the time of writing, there’s currently just one type of product available online:
Symphony achieved four stars for value for money and overall satisfaction. It got three stars for strength and quality, softness, and packaging design.
Coles facial tissues are stated to be packed in Australia from imported ingredients. The supermarket’s range consists of a 224-pack of two-ply white tissues and a 95-pack of three-ply tissues enhanced with aloe vera.
Products include:
Coles received four-star reviews for value for money and overall satisfaction, plus three stars for overall satisfaction and in the remaining research categories.
Supermarket giant Woolworths offers its line of facial tissues under the Woolworths Essentials range. At the time of writing, these come in limited-edition designs created by winners from the Woolworths Bunch Competition. These are among the most affordable box of tissues you can get, costing just $1.30 for a pack of 224.
Woolworths was rated four stars for value for money and overall satisfaction, plus three stars for strength and quality, softness and packaging design.
For an allergy-friendly packet of tissues to take on the go, Azure has a six-pack of hypoallergenic facial tissues available at Woolworths. These are said to provide three-ply thickness and contain nine tissues per pack.
Azure rounded up the results on three stars across the board, including for softness, strength and quality, value for money, and overall satisfaction.
As well as revealing which tissue brands are highest rated, our research identified the following drivers of customer satisfaction when it comes to facial tissues:
Here are some more insights:
Tissues may be a relatively low-cost grocery item, but shoppers have high expectations about quality. Over a third of survey respondents (37%) said they notice a difference between homebrand and brand name tissues – so there are plenty of options out there, making it easy to switch when one brand doesn’t live up to expectations.
Softness was on par with strength and quality as the most important factor when buying tissues, with many brands boasting ‘extra-soft’ tissues. So, it may be worth investing in extra soft tissues because the only thing worse than having a cold is having a tissue that feels like you’re blowing your nose into sandpaper.
It seems clear from these findings that softness and strength are the aims of the game, although consumers are still very conscious of price. At the high-end, you could easily spend nearly $4 on a jumbo box from a major label, while homebrand tissues from Coles, Woolworths and ALDI generally cost around $1. Just under a third (26%) of survey respondents said they generally buy the cheapest brand.
Swapping some big-name brands for private labels is a simple and easy way to cut your overall grocery costs, but when it comes to tissues, you’ll have to ask yourself whether or not the extra quality is worth paying for.
While the packaging design shouldn’t impact the tissue itself, it’s nice to have a nice-looking box sitting on the table to blend in with your home décor. Nearly one in four (23%) survey respondents even said they choose tissue boxes based on the pattern on the box.
Most brands come in a variety of colours and designs, as well as something fun for the kids, featuring movie characters they know and love. While it might be just a simple thing, it can make a big difference.
Ultimately, the tissue brand you buy will depend on your budget and preferences. Kleenex and Quilton seem to be the all-rounders, having been scored full marks in multiple categories. ALDI Confidence alternatively stood out as the best bang for buck. If you have sensitive skin, you may also opt for a brand that offers hypoallergenic products, while those looking to save a dollar or two might find themselves scanning for the cheapest option in the aisle.
Tissues are a staple whether you’re at home or out and about, so having them stocked is a must! Each brand also features a range of sizes whether you need a jumbo box or a small packet to fit in your back pocket. We hope this guide has provided a helpful insight into what consumers think of the tissue brands available from your local supermarket.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s home & lifestyle journalist, Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito. She’s an expert on household appliances, grooming products and all things grocery and shopping. In addition to translating our expert research into consumer-friendly ratings reports, Tahnee spends her time helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services, while highlighting the best deals and anything you need to be aware of.
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Picture credits: little star/Shutterstock.com, SG SHOT/Shutterstock.com.
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased and used tissues in the last six months – in this case, 1,977 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
Here are the past winners of Canstar Blue’s tissues review:
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