P&G Grapples With How to Stop a Tide Pods Meme
Consumer-products giant has used social media and enlisted an NFL star to address viral videos of people eating its laundry packets; ‘I’m scared of what comes next’
Procter & Gamble Co. initially stayed on the sidelines after learning about an online challenge a few years ago where teens ate Tide laundry pods for sport.
But recent videos of the behavior that have gone viral prompted the consumer giant to act.
The company...
Procter & Gamble launched a safety campaign last week on social media to counter the so-called Tide-Pod challenge.
f Tide says it’s combating misuse by teens but ‘can’t prevent intentional abuse’
Procter & Gamble says it’s taking steps to discourage the so-called Tide Pod challenge. PHOTO: DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG NEWS
Procter & Gamble Co. PG 0.90% Chief Executive David Taylor on Monday outlined steps the company is taking to keep teens from eating Tide laundry pods for sport, a behavior he called a “dangerous trend” fueled by social media.
In a blog published by the company, Mr. Taylor said the company has put out public-service announcements and is asking industry and advocacy groups to discourage the game while working with social media companies to stop the spread of videos of the so-called Tide Pod challenge.
“Ensuring the safety of the people who use our products is fundamental to everything we do at P&G , PG 0.90% ” he wrote. “However, even the most stringent standards and protocols, labels and warnings can’t prevent intentional abuse fueled by poor judgment and the desire for popularity.”
The company launched a safety campaign last week on social media to counter the meme.
Since the start of the year, poison-control centers across the country have reported 40 cases of people aged 13 to 19 years old intentionally ingesting laundry pods, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. The group reported 53 such cases last year and 39 cases in 2016. (In case of exposure call the national poison help hotline at 1-800-222-1222 or text POISON to 79797.)
Tide Pods were introduced in 2012 and sparked concerns about small children ingesting them. P&G has changed the appearance of packaging to make them look less like candy, added a bitter taste to the product and produced commercials warning parents to keep the pods out of reach of young children.
On Monday, Mr. Taylor also asked the public to help fight the misuse by teens. “The possible life altering consequences of this act, seeking internet fame, can derail young people’s hopes and dreams and ultimately their health,” he wrote.
