{{short description|Brand of laundry detergent pods under the Tide brand}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox brand |name =Tide Pods |logo = TideDetergentLogo.svg |logo_caption = Logo of the Tide brand |producttype = laundry detergent pod |currentowner = Procter & Gamble |country = United States |related = Tide & Ariel |markets = International (but not worldwide). |introduced = {{start date and age|2012}} }}
thumb|An individual Tide Pod
'''Tide Pods'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://trademarks.justia.com/852/59/tide-85259442.html|title=TIDE PODS - Trademark Details|website=Justia Trademarks|access-date=February 24, 2026}}</ref> (stylized '''Tide PODS''') are a line of laundry detergent pods from Procter & Gamble under the Tide brand.
== History == {{see also|Laundry detergent pod#History}} Procter & Gamble originally created laundry pods when they launched Salvo powder detergent tablets in 1960, which later disappeared from the market in 1978.<ref>{{cite web |title=Unilever airs plans to introduce laundry detergent in tablet form |url=https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/2000/7/27/19520326/unilever-airs-plans-to-introduce-laundry-detergent-in-tablet-form |website=Deseret News |date=July 27, 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103123036/https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/2000/7/27/19520326/unilever-airs-plans-to-introduce-laundry-detergent-in-tablet-form |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Winter 2000">{{cite web |last=Winter |first=Greg |title=Advertising: With a Laundry Tablet, Unilever Sells Convenience |website=The New York Times |date=August 25, 2000 |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/financial/columns/082500detergent-adcol.html |access-date=March 17, 2026}}</ref> In September 2000,<ref name="Winter 2000"/><ref name="abc7news">{{Cite web |title=Tide Pods: How a product became so appealing that it inadvertently turned into a public health risk {{!}} abc7news.com |url=https://abc7.com/tide-pods-pod-challenge-viral-video/12055855/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |website=abc7news.com}}</ref> Proctor and Gamble released Tide Rapid Action Tablets, which were filled with powder detergent. Tide Tabs had a tendency to not dissolve completely and worked only in hot water, which led to the product being discontinued in 2002.<ref name="Winter 2000"/><ref name="abc7news"/>
Development of Tide Pods began in 2004 and reportedly involved over 75 employees and 450 packaging and design sketches. The film in Tide Pods is a polyvinyl alcohol film developed by MonoSol, which is intended to dissolve in any temperature water. The pod detergent is also 10 percent water by volume compared to liquid Tide detergent, which is 50 percent water by volume. This was done to prevent the pod from melting from having a high water volume. Tide Pods have three chambers, which contain a cleanser, brightener, and fabric softener. The chambers are used to keep each part separated until the pod dissolves in water.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ANDERSON |first=MAE |title=Procter & Gamble's Tide Pods show long track of product development |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2012/03/06/procter-gambles-tide-pods-show-long-track-of-product-development/61091206007/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2012, Procter & Gamble launched Tide Pods with a $150 million ad campaign, which included a television ad at the 84th Academy Awards. The product was very successful in its first year following its launch, with sales of around $500 million in North America and a 75% market share in the single-dose laundry packet market.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/03/laundry-detergent-pods-remain-a-health-hazard/index.htm | title=Laundry detergent pods remain a health hazard | work=Consumer Reports | date=March 2013 | access-date=November 11, 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 12, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112041837/http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/03/laundry-detergent-pods-remain-a-health-hazard/index.htm }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=ANDERSON |first=MAE |title=Procter & Gamble's Tide Pods show long track of product development |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2012/03/06/procter-gambles-tide-pods-show-long-track-of-product-development/61091206007/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tide Pods: How a product became so appealing that it inadvertently turned into a public health risk {{!}} abc7news.com |url=https://abc7.com/tide-pods-pod-challenge-viral-video/12055855/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |website=abc7news.com}}</ref>
== Consumption == {{further|Consumption of Tide Pods}} thumb|A transparent container of Tide Pods from 2012. The plastic container was later made opaque to reduce the chance of the product being mistaken for candy.
Concern has been raised over children and elderly people with dementia <nowiki/>accidentally consuming Tide Pods, as its appearance and packaging design can have the same appeal to a child as hard candy with patterned designs, and be confused as such.<ref>{{cite web |title=CDC warns laundry detergent pods pose health risk |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-warns-laundry-detergent-pods-pose-health-risk/ |website=CBS News |date=October 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827195022/http://www.cbsnews.com:80/news/cdc-warns-laundry-detergent-pods-pose-health-risk |archive-date=August 27, 2014 |url-status=live |last1=Jaslow |first1=Ryan |accessdate=November 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tide Pods: How a product became so appealing that it inadvertently turned into a public health risk {{!}} abc7news.com |url=https://abc7.com/tide-pods-pod-challenge-viral-video/12055855/ |access-date=July 24, 2024 |website=abc7news.com}}</ref> In 2012, in response to a child swallowing Tide Pods, Procter & Gamble said they would make this product more difficult to open by adding a double latch to the lid, and have also re-focused their advertising to make clear the product should be out of a child's reach at all times. The packaging was also changed to an opaque orange rather than the original clear plastic gumball machine-type presentation to make them look less enticing.<ref>{{cite web |title=UPDATE 2-Tide to change Pods lid over child safety concerns |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/procter-tide-idUSL1E8GP9PI20120525 |website=Reuters |date=May 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151230111240/http://www.reuters.com/article/procter-tide-idUSL1E8GP9PI20120525 |archive-date=December 30, 2015 |url-status=live |last1=Wohl |first1=Jessica |accessdate=November 11, 2014}}</ref>
Ingestion of pods can lead to death in some cases.<ref>{{cite web |title= What Eating a Laundry Pod Can Do to You |url=https://www.consumerreports.org/health/what-eating-a-laundry-pod-can-do-to-you/ |website=Consumer Reports |date=January 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113025322/https://www.consumerreports.org/health/what-eating-a-laundry-pod-can-do-to-you/ |archive-date=January 13, 2018 |url-status=dead |last1=Interlandi |first1=Jeneen |accessdate=January 19, 2018}}</ref>
=== "Tide Pod Challenge" === {{further|Consumption of Tide Pods#Internet meme}} Beginning in late 2017 a viral Internet trend, called the "Tide Pod Challenge", emerged on Twitter and various other social media websites, in which participants intentionally ingest detergent pods.<ref name=Kircher2017>{{cite web |title=Please Don't Eat a Tide Pod, No Matter What the Memes Say |url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/12/why-are-people-joking-about-eating-tide-pods-on-twitter.html |last1=Kircher |first1=Madison Malone |publisher=new york|date=December 28, 2017 |accessdate=January 3, 2018}}</ref> Several children and teens have been injured, some severely, from this intentional consumption.<ref>{{cite news |title=More children harmed by eating laundry pods, new report finds |url=https://www.today.com/health/never-seen-anything-more-children-harmed-ingesting-laundry-pods-t88036 |date=April 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426115142/http://www.today.com/health/never-seen-anything-more-children-harmed-ingesting-laundry-pods-t88036 |archive-date=April 26, 2016 |url-status=live |work=TODAY.com |last1=Carroll |first1=Linda |access-date=January 12, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The challenge (and subsequent meme) were popularized on Twitter and several people have eaten Tide Pods on camera.<ref>{{cite web |title=FACT CHECK: Is the 'Tide Pod Challenge' a Real Thing? |url=https://www.snopes.com/tide-pod-challenge/ |website=Snopes |date=January 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618081633/https://www.snopes.com/tide-pod-challenge/ |archive-date=June 18, 2022 |url-status=live |last1=MacGuill |first1=Dan |accessdate=January 19, 2018}}</ref> One company began making edible replica "pods" and several internet personalities have posted about making edible "Tide Pods".<ref>{{cite news |title=People have resorted to making edible Tide laundry pods to stop you from eating the real ones |url=https://www.avclub.com/people-have-resorted-to-making-edible-tide-laundry-pods-1821949064 |date=January 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110175501/https://www.avclub.com/people-have-resorted-to-making-edible-tide-laundry-pods-1821949064 |archive-date=January 10, 2018 |url-status=live |work=The A.V. Club |last1=Colburn |first1=Randall |access-date=January 12, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Tide later partnered with American football player Rob Gronkowski, having him issue the message: "What the heck is going on, people? Use Tide Pods for washing. Not eating. Do not eat."<ref name="Tsuji2018">{{cite web |title=Rob Gronkowski tells everyone not to eat Tide Pods |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2018/01/12/rob-gronkowski-tells-everyone-not-to-eat-tide-pods-what-the-heck-is-going-on-people/109410444/ |website=USA Today |date=January 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114021120/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2018/01/12/rob-gronkowski-tells-everyone-not-to-eat-tide-pods-what-the-heck-is-going-on-people/109410444/ |archive-date=January 14, 2018 |url-status=live |last1=Tsuji |first1=Alysha |accessdate=January 13, 2018}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Procter & Gamble}}
Category:Laundry detergents Category:Trademarks