Trial
Trial
Procter & Gamble Co. is scrambling to put out an Internet wildfire over the safety of its new Pampers diapers, a crucial brand that accounts for about 11% of the companys revenue.
Some mothers who blame the reengineered diapers for causing rashes, even “chemical burns,” have started a Facebook page to detail their claims and press P&G to reverse course. The claims quickly gained traction, leading this month to a lawsuit and inquiries by product-safety regulators in the U.S. and Canada.
P&G, which last year posted $79 billion in total revenue, roughly $8.5 billion of which came from Pampers, calls the claims “completely false.”
“Intensive safety assessments, clinical testing, and consumer testing before, during, and after the launch shows that Pampers Dry Max is safe,” P&G says. It also says rashes are commonplace, affecting more than 2.5 million babies at any given time.
The company says sales havent been affected by the issue. But the bad publicity is putting the Cincinnati-based company in the uncomfortable position of having to publicly blame or discredit its own customers.
“Obviously were treating this issue with utmost urgency,” says Jodi Allen, vice president of Pampers North America. “Were doing everything we can to reach out to moms and assure them of the safety of our product.”
Pampers with Dry Max debuted in March, part of P&Gs strategy to boost sales through