If you frequently shop at Dollar General, Family Dollar, or Dollar Tree, you most likely know them as dollar stores. You can go there and buy something for only a dollar. Or maybe you were. We have all seen price increases over the past few years. Dollar stores sell them for $1.25, $1.75, or even $3. Now, Dollar Tree is offering a seemingly innocuous item for some customers — bounty paper towels. You better believe they don’t cost a dollar. They sell a pack for $9.
These aren’t just old paper towels sold at Dollar Tree. This is a four-pack of Bounty Essentials Select-a-Size paper towels, which according to paper towel math, is actually four rolls of three, or 12 rolls. While dollar stores have been raising prices for years due to broader economic trends, customers on forums like Reddit believe the increases may go too far, even though buying expensive paper towels may actually save you money in the long run.
Dollar Tree will begin major price adjustments in March 2025. Many items that were previously priced at $1.25 became $1.75. The price increase was never announced publicly and was quietly implemented in phases. Other items are priced at $3, $5 and $7. Customers noticed this and had serious complaints about some of the steeper prices, especially the $9 paper towels.
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shout at dollar tree
Bounty tissues packaged in different sizes on a shelf – Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Dollar Tree’s first price increase dates back to 2021, when the price rose to $1.25. Not bad considering the price difference between 1950 and today. The 2025 price increase increases the price of existing items and introduces new items at higher prices. That’s where products like Bounty paper towels come in. Dollar Tree has never offered these products for a dollar before, so this isn’t a shocking price increase. There is no cheaper version. As detailed in Dollar Tree’s SEC filing, this is part of their efforts to “expand our multi-priced product offerings.”
To be fair to Dollar Tree, they offer these tissues at a great price compared to other retailers. You’d pay nearly $3 more for the same item at Target, and even more at Walmart. Inflation and tariffs are cited as reasons for rising prices across the board. Even though these tissues are cheaper than the ones at Walmart, the optics are still not that great for many customers.
Stores often post confusing labels as price increases are never well explained. The label on the product might read $1.25, but the shelf might read $1.75. Other signs say “$3 and up,” which can also be confusing. However, the CEO says thousands of items are still priced under $2, and even if you have to give up the $9 paper towels, you can find plenty of hidden gems at the Dollar Tree.
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.