P&G Trying to Stop 'Dangerous' Tide Pods Challenge, CEO Says
January 22 2018 - 8:15PM
Dow Jones News
By Sharon Terlep
Procter & Gamble Co. 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," 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.
Write to Sharon Terlep at sharon.terlep@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 22, 2018 20:00 ET (01:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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