8.4M Tide, Gain and other laundry pods recalled over unsafe packaging

Millions of bags of laundry pods are being recalled because the packages aren't child resistant and could pose a serious risk, a federal safety regulatory agency warned Friday. 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warning covers 8.4 million Proctor and Gamble Tide Pods, Gain Flings, Ace Pods and Ariel Pods liquid laundry detergent packets packaged in flexible film bags that were distributed in the United States.

The recalled products have been sold at major retailers nationwide, including Big Lots, CVS, Family Dollar, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Target and Walmart and online at Amazon.com since September 2023. 

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The CPSC warned that the outer packaging, which is meant to prevent access to the contents, "can split open near the zipper track." 

This poses "a risk of serious injury to children and other vulnerable populations if the contents of the laundry detergent packets are ingested, as well as posing a risk of skin or eye injuries," the CPSC continued. 

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The agency warned that ingesting a large amount of any surfactant-containing household cleaning products can lead to death among individuals who have underlying health issues.

To date, there haven't been any confirmed injuries "directly relating to this packaging defect," the agency said. 

However, the company has received four reports of children in the U.S. getting their hands on the liquid laundry packets, three of which reported ingestion during the time period that the recalled lots were sold. It is unclear whether those laundry packets came from recalled bags, the CPSC said. 

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The agency said consumers "should immediately secure the recalled bags out of sight and reach of children" and to contact Procter & Gamble for a refund and a replacement child-resistant bag to store the product. 

They can also get a cabinet lock for securing laundry materials, the CPSC said. 

Proctor & Gamble declined further comment beyond the CPSC release but reiterated that this is a packaging issue and not a product-quality or safety issue,