Tide is launching a new campaign today to help reduce accidental access of laundry packets by young children and updating its Tide Pods package design with a new Child-Guard zipper beginning in May.
"We are deeply committed to reducing access to these products by young children," said Sundar Raman, North America Vice President of Fabric Care for Tide's parent company, Procter & Gamble. "Many people, especially families, love the convenience of Tide Pods, but with this, comes the need to keep them up, closed, and safe - away from kids."
The new advertising campaign, which debuts nationwide April 20th, shows how accidents in the home can happen in a split second and encourages parents to keep laundry packets up, closed, and safe around young children. https://youtu.be/-JJ-Q45-k30
The campaign also includes an online video that challenges viewers to identify 11 everyday dangers in the home in five seconds, the time it might take a child to access a potentially harmful item. https://youtu.be/LtWSpGbh7AI
The updated Tide Pods package complies with a new ASTM standard which provides manufacturers with guidelines on laundry packet design and packaging. The Tide Pods bag features a Child-Guard zipper that P&G co-developed with packaging company Presto Products.
"We tested the Child-Guard zipper, and 90 percent of kids under age 5 could not open it, even after being shown how to open the bag," said Brad Hansen, President of Presto Specialty at Presto Products. "It's important that people close the package to get the full benefit of the new Child-Guard zipper."
Last year, P&G announced it was changing the design of its laundry packets, adding a bitter-tasting substance on the outer film, ensuring the packet's film is designed to delay release of the liquid inside, and ensuring the packets withstand the average squeezing pressure of a small child. These provisions are now a part of the ASTM standard. Prior to this, P&G led a series of changes to its packages and warning labels, including more secure closures and opaque package materials so contents are less visible.
"Little kids are quick and put everything in their mouths," said Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "It takes a multi-pronged approach by both industry and parents to help keep children safe, which is why outreach to parents about the dangers in the home remains critically important in helping reduce injuries in children."
P&G has partnered with organizations like Safe Kids Worldwide and the American Cleaning Institute to promote laundry packets safety via social media, daycare centers, pediatricians, shared laundry facilities, and other channels.
In the United States, laundry packet sales are growing on average 17 percent each year and are used in over 26 million households. An estimated 0.5% of the 2.2 million calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers each year (about 12,000 calls) are related to laundry packets of some kind. Often children access these products when the package is left open or laundry packets are left outside of the container.
The new bags with the Child-Guard zipper will replace Tide's current bag packaging and will be phased into stores beginning in May through the summer. The Child-Guard zipper bags will also be available on Gain? Flings? laundry packets, which are manufactured by P&G. Consumers will still be able to purchase Tide Pods and Gain Flings in plastic tubs that are currently in stores.
