From: Packaging World

Procter & Gamble enhances the security of its tubs for single-serve laundry detergent packs by requiring consumers to squeeze the lid and twist at the same time to open the package.

Procter & Gamble has taken another major step forward in its commitment to consumer safety. After three years of in-depth R&D and testing, P&G is launching new Tide PODS and Gain Flings tub packaging with Child-Guard™ lids. The Child-Guard tub is next in a series of product developments, consumer education initiatives, and packaging changes to reduce accidents related to P&G’s liquid laundry packs. The new child-resistant tub closure provides an even stronger layer of protection, requiring individuals to squeeze both sides of the lid and twist at the same time to open the packaging.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the families who use our products,” says Sundar Raman, North America Vice President of Fabric Care for P&G. “Since last year’s launch of the innovative Child-Guard™ bag for liquid laundry pacs, we’ve been working hard to launch this same technology for our tubs. Knowing that access is a key factor in accidental exposures, we’ve made the new Child-Guard tub easy to close, but harder to open so parents and caregivers can both conveniently and safely store the product, further driving down accidents. With this key change, child-resistant packaging will now be available for all of our laundry pac products.”

P&G’s ongoing efforts to reduce accidents related to liquid laundry packs include the introduction of bags with a Child-Guard zipper, the addition of a bitter substance to the pack’s outer film, and an increase to the pack’s film strength to delay the release of its contents. P&G also co-led the development of a new voluntary industry standard that provides manufacturers with guidelines on laundry pack design and packaging. Additionally, the company is working with leading experts to reach even more parents and caregivers through its national education campaign, collaborating with Safe Kids Worldwide, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Cleaning Institute, and poison control centers. Together, these efforts have led to a 39% reduction in the rate of accidents related to P&G’s liquid laundrypacks, which the company is committed to reducing further through continued investment in consumer safety.

To drive awareness of liquid laundry pack safety and the availability of its new Child-Guard tub, P&G will continue its education campaign featuring multimedia advertisements and content partnerships with leading online parenting channels.

“Safety starts at home, so we are pleased to see advances in child-resistant packaging for household products that provide families with extra protection,” says Torine Creppy, Interim President of Safe Kids Worldwide. “When it comes to protecting kids around liquid laundry packets, we can’t stress enough the importance of keeping them up, closed, and out of children’s reach and sight.”

“Keeping children safe is the shared goal of advocates, industry, and government agencies. Procter & Gamble’s continued effort to make child-resistant liquid laundry pack packaging available demonstrates the company’s ongoing industry leadership,” shares Inez Tenenbaum, former Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Along with P&G’s education initiatives, its new Child-Guard tub lids will help protect children from accidental exposure to liquid laundry packs.”

The new Child-Guard tubs will be on store shelves this summer and will be widely available by the end of the 2017.