If you buy in bulk, the rolls come in a big cardboard shipping box and not a shrink wrapped pack like the supermarket. The wrappers prevent stuff from getting on the rolls. Who Gives a Crap does the red wrapper thing.

Also common in commercial environments where you want to leave rolls out in the open, like a couple extra in every stall.

Wrapping with some tissue paper is probably more environmentally friendly than people buying 4-packs with non recyclable plastic.

Incidentally I've also worked somewhere with a little flag indicator on the milk cooler to let the kitchen staff know it's out and needs refilling (and to warn other users).