Recession barely dents 'eco-debt'

Edit: This is just noise because the amounts are so small in the grand scheme of global commerce, but produces great numbers to "report" to make the author's point (and get the public worked up). SO suggests there are simple explanations that make sense in context - hotel chains buy all their toilet paper for Europe from a single supplier...

There are some things that just make no sense. These are listed in an article about eco-debit - this is a new term that I hadn't seen before.

For example, the report says the UK imports 22,000 tonnes of potatoes from Egypt and exports 27,000 tonnes back the other way.

While 5,000 tonnes of toilet paper heads to Germany from the UK, more than 4,000 tonnes is imported back.

Why on earth would Germans want British toilet paper? Shipping flowers and strawberries from where they grow to where they are purchased is extravagant, but this is just nuts.
.