New York, NY – October 14, 2019 – Kimberly-Clark Corporation stated that it will permanently discontinue the challenged express claim “Wet to Dry in 10 Seconds” (or less) (*time to absorb 50 ml of fluid below the liner) in online advertising and on packaging for its Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers, following a challenge before the National Advertising Division by The Procter & Gamble Company, maker of Pampers Diapers.

NAD is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation and is a division of the BBB NP’s self-regulatory and dispute resolution programs.

According to the challenger, Kimberly-Clark’s express claim is false, misleading and unsubstantiated.  P&G argued that to substantiate its performance claim, Kimberly-Clark must reliably prove that 50 ml of fluid is completely absorbed below the top liner sheet in 10 seconds or less under consumer relevant usage conditions.

During the course of the proceeding, the advertiser informed NAD that the claim “Wet to Dry in 10 Seconds” (or less) has been permanently discontinued in the ordinary course of business.

NAD, relying on the advertiser’s representations that the challenged claim has been permanently discontinued, did not review the claim on its merits. However, the voluntarily discontinued claim will be treated, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended its discontinuance and the advertiser agreed to comply.

In its advertiser’s statement, Kimberly-Clark stated that it “will comply with the NAD’s decision, given the company’s prior determination to transition to new advertising for the product at issue.”