Sustainable Innovations

Products with Environmental Improvements

We innovate to incorporate sustainability criteria into our products in a
number of ways, from formulation to packaging. In doing so, we find ways to
deliver significant sustainability improvement without asking the consumer
to make trade-offs in performance or value.

Here are just a few examples:

Gillette Fusion ProGlide

P&G partnered with Be Green® Packaging, a molded fiber supplier, to develop a breakthrough package for the Fusion ProGlide, resulting in a 57% reduction in plastic, 20% reduction in gross weight and a 100% removal of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).

Laundry Powder Compaction

In 2011 we compacted our entire portfolio of U.S. and Canadian carton powder laundry detergents by 33%. The compacted powder formulas of Tide, Gain, Cheer, Dreft and Ivory Snow use a higher proportion of dense active cleaning agents, resulting in the same great performance using less product. The environment benefits from a smaller carton size that produces less waste. The retailer benefits because fewer trucks, fewer pallets, and less inventory space allow for a more efficient supply chain.

Ariel Turn to 30°C Campaign

Our life cycle assessment of laundry detergent revealed that one step consumed far more energy than any other: the heating of wash water during its use in the home. By developing the technology behind Ariel Cool Clean and spreading the word, we gave consumers in the U.K. the opportunity to reduce household electricity consumption—with no trade-off in performance.

Ariel Excel Gel

The consumer-inspired innovation behind Ariel Excel Gel reduces the product’s environmental impact throughout the life cycle. Its manufacturing process saves energy and water, it uses less packaging, and half the trucks are needed to transport it. In addition, the ability to do laundry at a lower temperature helps consumers save energy themselves.

Charmin MegaRoll

When Charmin bath tissue consumers expressed a desire to change the roll less often, we created Charmin MegaRoll, which features four times as many sheets per roll than a regular roll of Charmin. Along with meeting consumer needs, the product requires the use and disposal of fewer cardboard cores, and it requires less energy to transport.

Olay Packaging

By moving from bulky plastic “clam shells” to trapped blister-based designs, Olay reduced millions of pounds of plastic packaging. At the same time, the new packaging is now much easier for consumers to open at home.

Olay’s New Pump

Total Effects, Olay’s top-selling line of anti-aging moisturizers, is introducing an improved pump design that is expected to save 800,000 pounds of plastic a year—equivalent to the weight of a Boeing 747.

Prilosec

When consumer research on Prilosec revealed packaging to be a key consumer issue, we developed an easier-to-access blister pack. By combining two blisters into one, this innovation now saves over 500,000 pounds of material each year.

Cover Girl TruBlend

Research about our Cover Girl TruBlend facial foundation product showed that using less packaging actually created a better presentation of the product on the shelf. So we eliminated the secondary packages around the primary dispenser bottle, leading to better product displays, easier shade selection, and a packaging reduction of more than 20%.

Braun

Smart Plugs, available with nearly all Braun electric razors, use 64% less energy than standard shavers—almost double the Energy Star certification average. The energy saved by one Smart Plug on standby for a year is enough to power a 60-watt light bulb for six days and nights.