April 26, 2005

Re: Tide Cold Wash Liquid Laundry Detergent

Dear Proctor and Gamble, Inc.:

Tide Cold Wash Liquid Detergent made me sick. Literally, your product made me physically ill. I used a sample of your product that was sent to me in the mail, and I broke out into hives. The clothes that I wore which I had washed in your detergent made me break out into itchy sores—I was uncomfortable for days.

Finally, I sought medical assistance. I had never had any allergies before in my entire life (I had also never used Tide). I was informed that detergents are a common cause for topical allergic reactions. I wondered why there was no warning on the package or in your TV advertisements?

I brought up my case with fellow employees at the public radio station at which I work. ALL of them claimed to have experienced an allergic reaction to Tide detergent in the past.

Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should STOP producing and marketing a harmful product such as Tide Cold Wash Liquid Detergent. Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should consider a RECALL of all of its Tide Cold Wash Liquid Detergent products wherever they have already been sold, or distributed as samples for free. Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should also, at the very least, issue CLEAR warnings on your product packages and TV advertisements that a potential allergic reaction may occur, that Tide may be HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH. I am lucky that my allergic reaction was not so severe—I imagine that the results for an elderly individual, child or infant could be disastrous.

What do you offer as a potential solution to this problem?

I firmly believe that Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should be accountable not just to consumers, or its shareholders, but to communities as a whole. If Proctor and Gamble, Inc. does not act in the best interests of the communities of which it is a part, then Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should cease to exist in society.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

[ 26 April 2005: Message edited by: Boom Boom ]

[ 26 April 2005: Message edited by: DrConway ]

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Originally posted by remind:
Boom boom phosphate free detergent is what you are looking for.

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2 Cups White Vinegar
4 Cups Water
2 cups baking soda

Combine over sink. Pour into plastic bottle, cover, and shake.

I use homemade detergent now with the babies because I'm nervous about their skin but I'll have to ask my mother-in-law for it because I get it from her.

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I firmly believe that Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should be accountable not just to consumers, or its shareholders, but to communities as a whole. If Proctor and Gamble, Inc. does not act in the best interests of the communities of which it is a part, then Proctor and Gamble, Inc. should cease to exist in society.

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I once got a rash from a wool sweater. As a result, I demand that grandmothers everywhere be accountable to their itchy grandsons or cease to exist in society!

While I can appreciate wanting to inform a company of the allergic reaction you had to one of their products, does the fact that it's used by millions not suggest to you that you're kind of the exception to the rule on this one, and that it's not really a matter of Tide, or P&G, having been negligent?

Her doctor left her with the impression that it was noteworthy because he/she presented it as fairly common.

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Originally posted by Mr. Magoo:
If every product to which anyone has ever been allergic had to have a warning label on it, then we'd have a warning label on everything but water.

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I know someone who has some very strong opinions on that particular subject.

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Her doctor left her with the impression that it was noteworthy because he/she presented it as fairly common.

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Fair enough. My eye was just drawn by the immediate jump from "my skin reacted to this laundry detergent" to "... and therefore, if Proctor and Gamble don't make this priority #1 then they must cease to exist in society!"

I mean, sorry if you itched for a day or so, but that doesn't, de facto, make P&G bad corporate citizens.

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I know someone who has some very strong opinions on that particular subject.

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