A sheet material dispenser comprising an operation trigger and a rotatable drum for frictionally engaging sheet material to be dispensed, in which said operation trigger is manually movable in a first direction from a stand-by position to a depressed position, in which said dispenser comprises a return spring which drives said operation trigger in a second direction from said depressed position to said stand-by position, and in which said operation trigger comprises a releasable engagement mechanism which engages said drum and rotates it only when said operation trigger is moved in said second direction.