Procter & Gamble Blames Parents, Social Media for "Chemical Burn" Allegations

When parents of toddlers started complaining that Procter & Gamble's new "Dry Max" Pampers were giving their kids severe diaper rash, Jodi Allen, P&G's Vice President for Pampers took prompt action -- and blamed the childrens' parents and social media for spreading false rumors about their products. One concerned parent started a Facebook page about the problem. Over 1,000 people have joined and some have uploaded photos of their babies' rashes. Allen put out a press release saying "These rumors [about Pampers harming children] are being perpetuated by a small number of parents, some of whom are unhappy that we replaced our old Cruisers and Swaddlers products, while others support competitive products and the use of cloth diapers. Some have specifically sought to promote the myth that our product causes 'chemical burns.' " Allen provided no documentation for her assertion that the complaints amount to a smear campaign against the company, but an analysis of complaints filed with the Web site ConsumerAffairs.com finds that most of the complaints come from parents who had been loyal Pampers customers until they noticed problems while using the company's reformulated "Dry Max" Pampers. Still, P&G's Allen insists that the company has investigated the complaints and found no evidence incriminating the diapers. P&G may be dismissing the complaints but other agencies are taking them seriously. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission and Health Canada are opening investigations into the rash of complaints from parents about Dry Max diapers.