New York, NY: A consumer fraud class action lawsuit has been filed against Procter & Gamble Co. over allegations that its Tide Pods can stain light-colored laundry. The suit, filed on behalf of Lisa Guariglia, Micheline Byrne and Michele Emanuele, asserts that P&G engaged in deceptive trade practices and breached implied warranties.
The complaint states that "Tide Pods have serious design defects that cause them to produce permanent blue/purple stains on white and light-colored laundry, even when used as directed by P&G."
In the suit, Guariglia, estimated that Tide Pods ruined at least $200 worth of her laundry, including towels, sheets and clothing, which had blue/purple stains that allegedly appeared after she began using Tide Pods. She further states that despite rewashing with other detergents and pretreating the stains with Shout stain remover, which is made by SC Johnson & Co., the stains remained.
Similarly Emmanuele said she was unable to remove the stains she blamed on Tide Pods even with bleach. She estimated the detergent ruined at least $650 worth of towels, sheets and clothing.
Plaintiff Byrne claims that in December 2012 her son and daughter had blue/purple stains on their clothes but she used Tide Pods for at least 18 more months before realizing the detergent was the cause. She estimated the detergent damaged at least $500 worth of clothing and other laundry.
The suite states: "P&G failed to inform consumers, through the directions on the packaging or any other written disclosure, even when consumers use Tide Pods as instructed by P&G, that blue/purple staining will result due to defects in the design."
However, "on P&G' own website, P&G has acknowledged that Tide Pods can cause blue/purple stains on laundry and insists that this staining can only occur when the consumer is not using the product correctly,"the suit states.
The complaint cites an article in Consumer Reports magazine, published February 20, 2014, which quotes a P&G spokesperson who said such stains can be caused by not putting a Tide Pods pack into the washing machine before clothing is inserted or by overstuffing a machine with laundry.
"P&G reiterated over and over, in its responses to consumer complaints, that it would not put a product on the market that would ruin laundry, that Tide Pods have been successfully tested, and it is certain that if used as directed, Tide Pods do not stain laundry,"the suit states. "However, it is clear from plaintiffs' experiences, as well as those of the customer complaints set forth above, and the hundreds of additional complaints on the Tide website, that even when used as directed, Tide Pods permanently stain white and light-colored laundry."
The suit seeks to represent anyone in the United States who bought Tide Pods and had laundry damaged. Plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Mark Levine, Melissa Emert and Patrice Bishop of Stull, Stull & Brody.
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Same story for me as others. I bought Tide PODS in a plastic jug at Costco and didn't have a problem. So, I bought the big box of Tide PODS 3in1 at Costco.com. As soon as I started using them, I found dark blue streaks on everything. The worst stains are on light colored garments, but even blue jeans had streaks. No amount of soaking, scrubbing or rewashing will get rid of them completely. P&G asserts that if used correctly, the stains won't occur, but that hasn't been my experience. I read the directions before first use and I consistently put the pod in before the laundry (I never use more than one POD per load per LG directions) and, I don't stuff clothes in my new LG front loader either. So, P&G is flat out lying to the public who have in good faith bought and used their Tide PODS and now have damages to their textiles as a result of use. P&G's advertising is false and misleading. The product should be recalled and damages should be paid to everyone who has suffered a loss.
Posted by Teresa Napier
on
I started seeing spots on my nursing scrubs after using tide pods
Posted by Beverly Nimmo
on
November 1 2017. Tide laundry pod just ruined my white button down from Banana Republic. Wore it once. I decided to wash instead of dry clean. Stupid, I have purple stains all over it. It was a light load and pod was put in first. Hot water is not removing the stains. Geeze.
Posted by Kelly S
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I too have had issues with Tide Pods staining my clothes but only with the Tide Pods with Downy. They stain every load I washed with them. I don't have any issues with other tide pods.
How do I get in on the class action lawsuit? It'd be great to get reimbursed for the cost of the product that I have to throw out. I bought it at BJs club so the container was kind of expensive since it contained 84 pods. Not to mention the many items of clothing that are ruined. I tried unsuccessfully to get the stains out of the clothes.
Posted by Lyn Boyd
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No question about it - Tide PODS cause purple staining on light colored clothes that will not come out no matter what you try to remove the stain with - the stain is like permanent purple old time indelible ink. AVOID this product - there are much better wash products on the market. Tide needs to address this issue, but of course, they will not and continue to blame people who have been washing clothes all their lives. I read the packaging and I also used as I was supposed to. Unfortunately, as to the cause of the marks on my laundry, the light bulb in my brain did not go off until I'd ruined about $500 worth of expensive and loved clothing that includes linens, etc. This is terrible, but we will have little recourse other than to post everywhere what we know.
Posted by Crystal
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I just bought a white hoodie and it has blue stains on back of it. I have washed it 2 times today and soaked with bleach and vinegar and the stains are still visible.
Posted by Tanya Wolf
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Just used one that came with a box of tide..on my sheets I use for my massage clients! Couldn't figure out what happened so looked it up because that was the only thing I did differnt! Now my sheet sets are purple /blue blotched ! Sooooo not happy!
Posted by Carmen Hercsuth
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cnissim@yahoo.com
I never had this problem up until the last container which I bought about two months ago. Very dissapointed. I have many pieces of clothing ruined because of these pods. The formula must have changed.
Posted by Martha Bangs
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I have ruined several shirts, sweaters, towels, lingerie and what was a beautiful (and expensive) courduroy shirt- all in white or pastel colors: all while using Tide Pods. I always put the pod in the drum of my washer first; I never overload my washer; have never used them on the gentle or hand wash cycle- and my water temps are within the range listed by P&G. It's important to note that P&G is not representing how this product should be used: the best example of this relates to their explanation that the pod needs to be on the bottom of the washer drum in order to agitate and dissolve. The Tide Pods that I have purchased are labeled for use with HE washers, which I have. HE washers, in order to operate efficiently relative to water consumption-DO NOT agitate. As a matter of fact, my washer doesn't even HAVE an agitator in the middle. The mechanism of HE washers is such that water comes through openings in the bottom and from the sides of the drum in a spray like motion that then "tosses" the clothes to clean them ( much more gentle method than agitation). P&G needs to get their story straight- is using Tide Pods in an HE washer safe for your clothing?? Where do I join this class action lawsuit? Not only am I out well over $500 in ruined irreplaceable clothing (the re-wash and rubbing alcohol suggestions have proven unsuccessful for me) but I also bought a huge quantity of these early on from COSTCO and Amazon, and they're sitting unused in my basement.
Posted by Marti Crawford
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Tide isn't the only detergent that stains. Arm and Hammer liquid deterrence does the same.
Posted by susan zimmerman
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I also used tide pods and have about $600 worth of that was ruined due to the pods.
Posted by Maria Elena Friskel
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I noted purple stains in some of our light laundry but I took no action. I appreciate your aid. Thanks
Posted by sandy sharp
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I, too noticed sot of a bluish stain on my clothes especially my lighter colors. even though i tried using shout stain remover, it didn't work. I lost about 1/3 of my clothes.
Posted by Kelly Cowick
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I have noticed the bluish purple color stains on some of my clothing and daughters.
I have a white Northface jacket that was ruined. My daughters Victoria's Secret yoga pants
and hoodie. Also a light colored comforter set. I tried using the extra strength Shout on the stains several
times each and it did not remove the stains at all. All together around $330 worth of items.
Posted by Danah Boudreaux
on
I've been using Tide pods and have been noticing stains on many of my shirts and pants. I thought it may have been from ink or something similar until the problem continued to occur. I have estimated to have about $500 worth of ruined clothes. I feel tide should cover the damages. I use the product as directed on the instructions. It is of no fault of mine.
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