Interesting article popped up today on FT (you may have to subscribe to read it) about the way in which Pampers are dealing with criticism about their new Dry Max range which I reported about here last month.
Concern has been growing about the severity and frequency of nappy rash with these new nappies to the extent there is a lawsuit pending and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission have launched an urgent investigation into these nappies with DryMax
I found an article with some photos of rash on legs caused by these nappies. You can find plenty more articles by a simple search, which really shows how common this seems rash/burns problem seems to be. It is worrying that parents are not allowed to know the specific chemicals used in these nappies that might be causing the problem. I first wrote about this lack of information about the content of disposable nappies in 2000, so it’s nothing new.
Here is an excellent series of articles by Z Recommends: The True Story of Pampers DryMax Part 1 The Diaper Wars – history of the product and why DryMax varient was introduced and Part 2 What Dry Max is Doing to Kids - what is happening with babies in these nappies and what Pampers are saying about it (Or ‘Do the numbers stack up’?!). Part 3 looks at the construction of the nappy and what ZRecommends considers is actually causing these problems. I can’t wait for Part 4 of their report to be issued which looks at the social media implications of this story.
Since I last wrote on this topic, there has been growing concern online from both the Facebook group and reviewers such as The Shopping Mama - who Pampers invited to their factory, along with three other influential mum-bloggers to inspect their product in more depth and see how they are tested. Here’s an article about their visit http://www.pamil-visions.net/pampers-buy-trust/215294/ Now here is another article about the mummybloggers responses after their all singing all dancing paid for visits – with links to their blogs. Have they been got at? Can one say their reports truly impartial?
Read the 3 published so far here:
Stephanie Manner Wagner: My two cents on Pampers DryMaxDiapers
Kate Marsh Lord: Are DryMax Diapers Safe?
Tiffany Snedaker: The Truth Behind Pampers DryMax
Now you have read them, do you feel these are independent reviews? Written in the style of the blogger? Are do you find them Pamperesque jargon-speak laden? Were they, I wonder, perhaps written for the bloggers? They’re certainly much more in depth than the usual snappy style of ‘here’s a fab product we were sent to review, we tried it and we did/didn’t like it because….’ typical of this type of blog. Is this a coup for the PR capabilities of the might and power (and money) of P&G to buy-off detractors, or will there be backlash fallout from the powerful mummies on line who won’t like the thought of their seemingly independent blogs being ‘got at’. See Mumsnet – this topic is bound to be discussed there at some point, having been described in The Telegraph as being a very powerful mummy lobby at the recent general election!
Renee Bigner has yet to publish her review of the all expenses paid Pampers Bloggers Bribe, I mean Day Out, but I shall keep an eye on her blog here: http://whatmommiesneed.com/