NEW YORK (AP) — Procter & Gamble is recalling more than 8 million bags of Tide, Gain, Ace and Ariel laundry detergent packets sold in the U.S. and Canada due to a defect in the products' child-resistant packaging.
According to Friday notices from both P&G and product-safety regulators in the U.S. and Canada, the outer packaging meant to prevent easy access to the liquid laundry detergent pods can split open near the zipper track, posing serious risks to children and others who may ingest them, in addition to possible skin or eye injuries.
So far, there have been no confirmed injuries directly tied to the defect. During the time period that the recalled lots were sold, there were four reports of children accessing the laundry packets in the U.S., including three ingestion cases — but whether these pods actually came from the recalled bags is still unknown, P&G and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.
The recall impacts select batches of Tide, Gain, Ace and Ariel laundry detergents that were manufactured between September 2023 and February 2024 and sold at major retailers including Walmart, Target, CVS and Amazon.
The recalled products, which can be identified by lot code, vary in scent and size. About 8.2 million were sold in the U.S. and more than 56,700 were sold in Canada.
Consumers in possession of the now-recalled bags are instructed to keep the products out of the reach and sight of children and contact Cincinnati-based P&G for a full refund and replacement child-resistant bag to store the detergent, which itself remains safe to use for laundry purposes.
Health risks tied to the ingestion of liquid laundry detergent has been well-documented — notably in light of the social media-fueled "Tide Pod challenge" that skyrocketed several years ago. Eating the detergents' chemicals can cause vomiting, diarrhea, liver and kidney damage, and even death.
Beyond online trends, experts warn that children are especially vulnerable to accidentally ingesting liquid laundry packets, as they may confuse the products with candy — urging consumers to always store them safely.
P&G will Refund or Replace Affected Product Packages
Consumers should immediately secure the recalled bags out of sight and reach of children and contact Procter & Gamble for a full refund and a free replacement child resistant bag to store the product. Consumers can also receive a cabinet lock for securing laundry materials.
Consumers should check to see if their bag is part of the recall by checking the lot code on their bag. Recalled lot codes will be listed at www.pg.com/bags and can be found on the bottom of the bag package. Consumers with recalled bags can submit a photo of the recalled product, showing the lot code, to participate in the recall.
Consumer Contact Information
Consumers can contact Procter & Gamble toll-free at 833-347-5764 from Monday through Friday, 9 AM ET to 6 PM ET, Saturday, 9 AM ET to 5:30 PM ET, or online at www.pg.com/bags.
Recall Details
This recall involves about 8.2 million units sold in the U.S. and about 56,741 sold in Canada of certain lot codes of Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods, and Ariel Pods liquid laundry detergent packets packaged in flexible film bags that were manufactured between September 2023 and February 2024.
Recalled products range from bags with 12 to 39 laundry detergent packets and include the following:
Gain Flings Original
Tide Simply Pods Plus Oxi Boost
Gain Flings Moonlight Breeze Scent
Tide Pods Clean Breeze Scent
Gain Flings Blissful Breeze Scent
Tide Pods Free & Gentle
Gain Flings Spring Daydream Scent
Tide Pods Oxi
Gain Flings Plus Ultra Oxi
Tide Pods Ultra Oxi
Gain Flings Plus Odor Defense
Ace Pods Clean Breeze
Tide Pods Original
Ace Pods Spring Meadow
Tide Pods Spring Meadow Scent
Ariel Pods Alpine Breeze
Tide Pods Light
There have been no confirmed cases of incidents or injuries directly relating to this packaging defect. P&G has received four reports of children in the United States accessing the liquid laundry packets, three of which reported ingestion during the time period that the recalled lots were sold, but it is not known if these laundry packets came from recalled bags.
Affected packages were sold at Big Lots, CVS, Family Dollar, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Target, Walmart, and other major stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com and other websites from September 2023 through present for between $5 (one 12 ct. bag) and $30 (four 39 ct. bags in a box).
For information on impact in C