World Toilet Day: The French Face Restroom Accessibility Challenges

On the occasion of “World Toilet Day,” held every year on November 19th under the auspices of the UN, we are unveiling the results of a study conducted by the YouGov institute on the issue of restroom accessibility. The figures speak for themselves: nearly 80% of French people report having difficulty accessing restrooms when visiting public places. These difficulties primarily concern coastal areas (62%), tourist sites (49%), and urban parks (47%).

At a time when one in three people worldwide lack access to toilets, and 20 million people in Europe are affected by the shortage of toilets, we are renewing our commitment to making sanitation facilities accessible to everyone — facilities that are tailored to needs and water-efficient.

Key findings from the study:

• 79% of French people say they regularly experience difficulty accessing restrooms in public spaces.
• These difficulties primarily concern: coastal areas (62%), tourist sites (49%), and urban parks (47%).
• When using restrooms in public spaces, French people most often report facing hygiene issues (69%) and complain about long wait times (14%).

Restroom Accessibility: A Persistent Public Health Concern

While the topic may seem minor or old-fashioned, the UN reminds us each year on World Toilet Day, November 19th, that access to clean sanitation facilities for everyone remains a major public health issue. Indeed, an estimated 4.5 billion people worldwide still live without toilets, with significant consequences for the spread of certain diseases.

In France, while most of the population has relatively easy access to sanitation facilities, public places remain insufficiently equipped with restrooms. This is what the study conducted with the YouGov institute reveals: 79% of French people report having difficulty accessing restrooms in public spaces – 31% of them frequently. According to the study, the problem occurs most often at the beach (mentioned by 62% of respondents). Tourist sites, urban parks, and shopping centers are also affected by this issue (mentioned by 49%, 47%, and 31% of respondents, respectively).

A direct consequence of this shortage of restrooms in public spaces is that the cleanliness of public toilets — which suffer from overuse — is a problem for 69% of French people. This concern is cited far more often than issues related to wait times (14%) or accommodations for people with reduced mobility or children (4%).