• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Healthtide pods

4 Ways P&G Is Trying to Stop People From Eating Tide Pods

By
Hallie Detrick
Hallie Detrick
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hallie Detrick
Hallie Detrick
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 22, 2018, 6:14 AM ET

The so-called “Tide Pod Challenge” has reached epidemic levels.

In the first 15 days of 2018, poison control centres have reported at least 39 cases of people — mainly teenagers — intentionally ingesting the laundry detergent packets. For context, that’s as many cases as were reported during the entirety of 2016.

Procter & Gamble (PG), the manufacturer of Tide Pods, was initially mum on the topic, fearing any effort to discourage people from eating their product would only draw more attention to the trend. But with the challenge going viral online, they’ve decided to act. Here’s how they’re tackling the trends:

1. Taking to Twitter

Interspersed between heartfelt apologies to customers who’ve had trouble with Tide products and queries about the Tide product range, Tide’s Twitter account (@tide) now lists some replies that would make more sense coming from a health-care provider than a consumer brand. “Please drink a glass of water or milk and contact the Poison Control Center(800-222-1222) or a Doctor Immediately,” one reads. Another advises “Our Product is absolutely not to be consumed.”

Contact your doctor or your local poison control center. When you're feeling better, please call us at 1-800-879-8433. We're open M-F from 9-6 ET.

— Tide (@tide) January 18, 2018

Our Product is absolutely not to be consumed. Plesae, if you have, drink a glass of water or milk and contact the Poison Control Center(800-222-1222) or a Doctor Immediately.

— Tide (@tide) January 17, 2018

2. Same Look, New Terrible Taste

In 2015, P&G started coating the pods in a bitter-tasting substance. The adjustment, which came three years after the 2012 launch of the product, was aimed at preventing children from biting into the pods. If the current spate of poison control cases is any indication, it hasn’t discouraged their adolescent counterparts.

3. Intra-Internet cooperation

The company has worked with YouTube and Facebook to take down “Tide Pod Challenge” posts, which are thought to be responsible for the recent rise in oral consumption. Though there are debates about the extent to which social media platforms should be involved in policing content, both platforms have cooperated with P&G to remove posts as quickly as possible on the basis that they encourage harmful behavior.

“Our Community Standards don’t allow encouragement of physical harm or content that is promoting or encouraging behavior that could lead to self-injury or death. We have and will continue to remove any of this material as soon as we’re aware of it,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

A YouTube spokesperson echoed that statement, saying “YouTube’s Community Guidelines prohibit content that’s intended to encourage dangerous activities that have an inherent risk of physical harm. We work to quickly remove flagged videos that violate our policies.”

4. Calling In the Big Guns

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who is also a spokesperson for Tide, recorded a video for the brand’s social media channels in which he advised on the dangers of eating Tide Pods.

What should Tide PODs be used for? DOING LAUNDRY. Nothing else.

Eating a Tide POD is a BAD IDEA, and we asked our friend @robgronkowski to help explain. pic.twitter.com/0JnFdhnsWZ

— Tide (@tide) January 12, 2018

No word yet on what this has done to consumption among fans of all other NFL teams.

In a statement, Proctor and Gamble said they “are deeply concerned about the intentional and improper use of liquid laundry pacs by young people engaging in intentional self-harm challenges.” In addition to their social media efforts, the company says it is working with the American Cleaning Institute, an organization focused on cleaning-product safety, to help “post-secondary education institutions to educate their students that laundry detergents should only be used to clean clothes.”

You read that right – post-secondary, as in colleges and universities. While P&G is certainly doing the right thing in its outreach efforts, lets hope for everyone’s sake that most American college kids are smart enough not to ingest packets of harmful chemicals.

Update 1/22: This article has been updated to add a statement and further details from P&G.

 

About the Author
By Hallie Detrick
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

Testosil Review (2026): Testosterone Supplement Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
Testosil Review (2026): Testosterone Supplement Reviewed
By Christina SnyderJune 11, 2026
11 hours ago
BrickHouse Nutrition Field of Greens Review (2026)
HealthDietary Supplements
BrickHouse Nutrition Field of Greens Review (2026)
By Emily PharesJune 11, 2026
11 hours ago
worm
HealthFood and drink
The pest that could devastate the American cattle industry was in Texas, but now it’s in New Mexico, too
By Jeffrey Collins and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
A man put a drink in front of Trump
HealthFood and drink
A Biden-era study told Americans to drink less alcohol. The Trump admin ‘sidelined’ the research facing pressure from the alcohol lobby
By Laura Ungar, Ali Swenson and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Kaged Pre-Workout Review (2026): Athlete Approved
HealthDietary Supplements
Kaged Pre-Workout Review (2026): Athlete Approved
By Christina SnyderJune 8, 2026
4 days ago
Liquid IV Review (2026): Our Personal Experience
HealthDietary Supplements
Liquid IV Review (2026): Our Personal Experience
By Christina SnyderJune 8, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
2 days ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
3 days ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
18 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
4 days ago
SpaceX's record IPO has Wall Street torn between a Musk 'holy grail' and a $135-per-share leap of faith
Startups & Venture
SpaceX's record IPO has Wall Street torn between a Musk 'holy grail' and a $135-per-share leap of faith
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 11, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.