BUSINESS
Massive recall hits Tide: Why have millions of Tide Pods been pulled from store shelves?
Procter and Gamble has issued a major recall covering more than 8 million bags containing laundry pods. How to know if you have a defective product on your hands.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a recall affecting laundry pods produced by Procter and Gamble, the parent company of Tide, Gain, Ace, and Ariel. Protector and Gamble issued the recall voluntarily in coordination with the CPSC after the safety issues were identified. The vast majority of those impacted by the global corporation recall are in the United States, limiting the scope of the massive recall, which is estimated to cover 8.2 million units. Just over 50,000 defective bags were also sold in Canada.
Which products are covered under the recall?
- Ace Pods Clean Breeze
- Ace Pods Spring Meadow
- Ariel Pods Alpine Breeze
- Gain Flings Original
- Gain Flings Moonlight Breeze Scent
- Gain Flings Blissful Breeze Scent
- Gain Flings Spring Daydream Scent
- Gain Flings Plus Ultra Oxi
- Gain Flings Plus Odor Defense
- Tide Simply Pods Plus Oxi Boost
- Tide Pods Clean Breeze Scent
- Tide Pods Free & Gentle
- Tide Pods Oxi
- Tide Pods Ultra Oxi
- Tide Pods Original
- Tide Pods Spring Meadow Scent
- Tide Pods Light
Protecting young children from the defective product
The defective pods have been on the market since September and sold online on Amazon, as well as other sites, and at major brick and mortar retailers, including CVS, Target, Walmart, and many more.
According to the recall information provided by the CPSC, “the outer packaging meant to prevent access to the contents can split open near the zipper track, posing a risk of serious injury to children and other vulnerable populations.” The seal is childproof, and the defect can make consuming the pods easier, and ingesting “large quantity of any surfactant-containing household cleaning products can cause death among individuals with underlying health issues.” Additionally, the company is offering pre-paid debit cards to customers affected by the value of the purchase “as well as a replacement bag and cabinet latch to keep your laundry products secure.”
Since the issue is with the bag and not the pods themselves, the company is advising customers to transfer the pods to a childproof container if young family members have access to the product. If you do not have this type of container, you can request one from Procter and Gamble.
Getting in touch with Procter and Gamble
For those who believe the product they purchased is covered under the recall, a refund will be paid. Representatives for Procter and Gamble are available to speak with customers Monday through Friday between 9 AM ET and 6 PM ET and on Saturdays from 9 AM ET to 5:30 PM ET. For more information on the recall, visit the website set up to support customers.