Sniffing out cultural differences with tissues in Qatar

Tissues. Yes, everyday soft, absorbent paper tissues. They are the stars of this Doha Diaries post for no better reason than their ubiquitous presence in the Middle East.

In Qatar, they’re everywhere.

Boxes of tissues adorn any available surface here – they are in homes, hotels, offices and shops, taxis, counters, public toilets, checkout tills and are even available from dispensers on walls.

They’re even on my dining room table, having replaced paper serviettes within six months of the H’s arrival in Qatar in 2022.

And, as I have come to learn while sniffing out all this tissue information, the humble throw-away tissue is also close to celebrating a century of attending to sneezes, snuffles, spills and sweaty brows around the globe. This, mind you, after its accidental start, which you can read about towards the end of this post.

For locals, having tissues on every conceivable surface is the norm.

My Syrian colleague, for example, couldn’t understand why I chuckled about being able to order free branded boxes of tissues for my desk at work.

I mean, imagine that possibility back in South Africa?

Anyway, for South Africans – well, for this one at the very least – the ever-present tissue box was initially, just a little OTT.

I mean, why? Why is Qatar, and elsewhere in the Middle East, awash with tissues?

Cultural norms

And so begins another cultural appreciation lesson.

In Qatar, hygiene is taken seriously. And hence, a close relationship with multi-functional tissue.

Never, my Syrian friend advises, do you ever leave the house without tissues. It’s been like this since she was a child. And, they always have a box of tissues in every room of the house. (Take note Saffas when hosting guests from the Middle East).

For tissues are a sign of cleanliness.

You need tissues for any eventuality – to mop, swob, clear or clean. In Arabic and Middle Eastern culture, hygiene and cleanliness are valued.

And having tissues also means you are being a good host.

Qataris, as I have come to appreciate, are hugely hospitable if you are given the opportunity to engage with them directly since they only make up about 10 to 12% of the 3 million-plus population. This small number is hard to conceive since the Qatari culture is evident at every turn (and tissue) in Doha.

Culturally, tissues are to Qatar, what the offer of refreshments is in South Africa. (In Qatar, you’ll be offered refreshments and eats too, with this aspect dependent on the nationality of the host. Up to 121 different nationalities are resident in Qatar.)

Litter laws

The importance accorded to hygiene also translates into fines for individuals who litter, and even more so for organisations that flout such laws.

We’re talking QAR 500 (that’s just short of R2500) for anyone who so much as drops a tissue or any other rubbish aside in a public place. Spitting is not permitted either.

The result: Doha must be one of the cleanest cities in the world.

It’s something all visitors to Qatar immediately notice – just how beautifully clean the city is.

Tissue stats

The country’s affinity for tissue paper can also be gauged by its consumption.

According to Statistica, in 2025, the average tissue paper consumption (that’s toilet paper and the other absorbable tissue paper) in Qatar was 31.8kg per person a year. By comparison, in India, such consumption was measured at 9.5kg per person.

If we’re talking tissues only, Qatar and Saudi Arabia both wipe-in at around 8kg per person a year, with neighbours, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, leading the way with per capita consumption of over 10kg.

That’s a lot of blowing, sniffing, sneezing and mopping.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Egypt are the largest consumers in the MENA region (Middle East, North Africa), accounting for 66% of the total consumption.

And, it’s still growing with a 6.5% annual growth rate, driven by an ever-growing population, tourism and general wealth. 

Tissue types

The wont for tissues in this part of the world is also evident in the supermarkets.

While it’s biscuits in the UK and maize meal in South Africa, in Qatar it is tissues. Whole supermarket aisles are dedicated to economy, standard or premium tissues sold as single boxes or bulk buys and everything in between. That includes the eco-friendly and sustainable offerings, too.

I have yet to find the best brand in terms of quality and price.

(As an aside, while tissues are a fairly easy, understandable purchase, this is not so with plastic bin bags. The latter are generally sold in gallon sizes. When the H recently purchased some the size of body bags, I let the kids know!)

Tissues – how it all began

Now, if you’re still with me, I thought I should mention that tissues as we know them today are a fairly new invention, though the Chinese are believed to have been using tissue paper of sorts some 2000 years ago.

Tissues started their commercial life in about 1924 but as a convenient throw-away alternative for removing cold cream used to remove make-up. But consumers quickly adopted them as a more hygienic option for blowing their noses.

As a result, the inventors, Kleenex, changed their marketing strategy to reflect the change in 1932, with the slogan “The handkerchief you can throw away!” (Unfortunately, their advertising jingles have had little effect in parts of this household. Still working on it, Ali.)

There is no doubting, however, the impact the all-purpose tissue has had globally.

Today, like Bic, Band-Aid, Thermos, Hoover and others, the brand name of Kleenex is still regularly used to describe all tissues.

Embracing the tissue culture

The ubiquitous presence of tissues is one of the many pluses of this culture we learned to appreciate, and will no doubt take back to South Africa when our sojourn comes to an end.

And maybe, just maybe, those hankies (and “body bags” aka outsized garbage bags) will finally vanish, too.