Why Are Tide Pods, Gain, & Other Procter & Gamble Products Being Recalled?
On April 5, 2024, Procter & Gamble recalled approximately 8.2 million units of Tide, Gain, Ariel, and Ace detergents packed in flexible film bags. The outer packaging can split along its zipper track, posing serious injury risks if the laundry pod contents are accessed and ingested by your children or other vulnerable people. (1)(2)
The CPSC (or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) advisory warns that ingestion of large quantities of any surfactant-containing household cleaning products, such as these detergent pods, can lead to death, especially to vulnerable people with underlying health issues or medical conditions. (1)(2)
Exposure to these recalled detergent pods also increases the risk of skin or eye injuries to your little kids. (1)(2)
The CPSC safety notice added that the recall includes approximately 56,741 affected bags of laundry detergent in Canada. (1)(2)
Procter & Gamble and the CPSC clarified that there haven’t been any confirmed cases or incidents relating to the packaging defect that caused the recall. (1)(2)
There have been four reports of children accessing the liquid laundry detergent pods in the US. Ingestion was reported in three of these four cases. (1)(2)
However, although the recalled lots were being sold when these incidents were reported, neither Procter & Gamble nor the CPSC can confirm whether these detergent pods were from the recalled products. (1)(2)
Which Procter & Gamble Products Are Recalled?
This recall includes liquid laundry detergent packets from the following brands (see full list below): (1)(2)
- Tide
- Gain
- Ariel
- Ace
These are brands produced and sold by The Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.
What Tide Products Are Recalled?
Tide pods included in this 2024 recall: (1)(2)
- Tide Pods Original
- Tide Simply Pods Plus Oxi Boost
- Tide Pods Clean Breeze Scent
- Tide Pods Free & Gentle
- Tide Pods Oxi
- Tide Pods Ultra Oxi
- Tide Pods Spring Meadow Scent
- Tide Pods Light
Is There A Recall On Gain Laundry Detergent?
Yes. The following are the Gain products included in this recall: (1)(2)
- 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
Recalled Ace Detergent Pods
Here are the recalled Ace products: (1)(2)
- Ace Pods Clean Breeze
- Ace Pods Spring Meadow
Recalled Ariel Detergent Pods
This is the only Ariel product included in this recall: (1)(2)
- Ariel Pods Alpine Breeze
How Do I Know If My Procter & Gamble Products Have Been Recalled?
This recall involves certain lot codes of Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods, and Ariel Pods liquid laundry packets in flexible film bags only. The bags had a range of 12 to 39 laundry detergent packets inside. (1)(2)
The affected products were manufactured between September 2023 and February 2024. They were sold from September 2023 up to the recall date through the following shops and retailers: (1)(2)
- Amazon.com (online shop)
- Big Lots
- CVS
- Family Dollar
- Home Depot
- Sam’s Club
- Target
- Walmart
- Other major stores nationwide or online shops and websites
Note that only products with the following recalled lot codes are included in this Procter & Gamble (listed on pg.com/bags): (3)
You can find these lot codes at the bottom of the original packaging of the recalled laundry detergent bags. (1)(2)
What To Do With My Recalled Procter & Gamble Products?
Confirm if the Procter & Gamble detergent bags you have at home are included in the recall by checking their product name and the lot codes. (1)(2)
If you have any of these recalled Procter & Gamble liquid detergent products at home, immediately secure these recalled bags. Keep them out of reach of children, even while you are still trying to verify if they’re included in the recall. (1)(2)
You can contact Procter & Gamble for a full refund of all the affected products in your home. The brand will also provide a free replacement child-resistant bag you can use to store your detergent pods. (1)(2)
To further help in babyproofing your home, the brand may also send you a cabinet lock that you can use to secure your laundry materials and keep them out of your children’s reach. (1)(2)
Are These Procter & Gamble Products Still Safe To Use?
Yes. The quality and safety of the laundry products remain the same. Only the packaging is affected by this recall. (1)(2)
They were recalled because of the defective laundry detergent packs – you can’t reseal the packaging. It can pose safety risks if ingested by children or other vulnerable people who might access the contents. (1)(2)
It’s fine to keep the products and use them in your home if you transfer them into a child-proof container and keep them out of your children’s reach. (1)(2)
Here’s a guide from Tide: (1)(2)
How To Process Your P&G Recall Refund
If you’re affected by this recall, take a photo of the recalled product and ensure it shows the lot code (see guide above). Contact Procter & Gamble through the following channels to get help in processing your refund or replacement:
- Toll-free phone number: 833-347-5764 from Monday through Friday at 9 AM ET to 6 PM ET or Saturday at 9 AM ET to 5:30 PM ET
- Recall website link: pg.com/bags
Where Were These Procter & Gamble Products Manufactured?
- United States (1)(2)
Tips To Keeping Your Children Safe From Laundry Detergents
Always keep laundry detergents (even if they haven’t been recalled) and other household cleaning products out of your children’s reach.
It’s also ideal to keep these potentially dangerous products inside child-proof containers or in locked cabinets.
Also, try to talk to your children about the dangers of copying or joining dares or challenges that go viral on social media. (4)
For example, in 2017 alone, most (about 10,500 reports) of the exposures to laundry pods were reported among children younger than five. However, US Poison Control reported about 220 teen exposures, with as much as 25% being intentional. (4)
The stats increased to about 50% intentional cases of teenage exposure to laundry detergents in 2018, largely due to the Tide Pod Challenge. In this dangerous challenge, participants are dared to eat a detergent pod or chew on the packaging. Others also tried to cook, then chew on the “gummy” laundry pod. (4)
Other Recent Baby Product Recalls & Safety Warnings
Stay informed with the latest news by signing up for our regular Motherhood Community recall alerts so you never miss an important recall.
Check these comprehensive lists of product recalls by category:
- Crib recalls (up to 2022)
- Stroller recalls (2020 to 2023)
- Recalled toys list (2020 to 2023)
- Baby formula recall (2001 to 2022)
- Baby food recall (2015 to 2022)
- Pacifier recall (2019 to 2022)
- Baby wipes recall (2014 to 2022)
References
(1) https://news.pg.com/news-releases/news-details/2024/Procter–Gamble-Recalls-8.2-Million-Defective-Bags-of-Tide–Gain-Ace-and-Ariel-Laundry-Detergent-Packets-Distributed-in-US-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury/default.aspx
(2) https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Procter-Gamble-Recalls-8-2-Million-Defective-Bags-of-Tide–Gain-Ace-and-Ariel-Laundry-Detergent-Packets-Distributed-in-US-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury
(3) https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/bags-impacted-lot-codes/
(4) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/01/13/teens-are-daring-each-other-to-eat-tide-pods-we-dont-need-to-tell-you-thats-a-bad-idea/#
