Toast - Series 7: Izal Medicated Toilet Paper

Sliced Bread · Jun 25, 2026 · 26m

Izal medicated toilet paper was once a staple of British bathrooms - a curious cultural icon, remembered as much for its distinctive feel as for its antiseptic promise. Produced for decades by the Sheffield‑based company Newton, Chambers & Co., Izal became woven into the fabric of schools, hospitals and public buildings across the UK.So how did a product that was everywhere for so long, end up disappearing from shelves, surviving only in nostalgia, and uncomfortable memories?BBC Business journalist Sean Farrington investigates how Izal medicated toilet paper went from national widespread use…