Procter & Gamble is blaming comedian Amy Schumer for a Tampax tampon shortage after sales for the product soared in the two years since she starred in a series of commercials for the company.
The successful ad campaign was launched by P&G, America’s most popular tampon brand, in July 2020 with Schumer, 41, front and center as a friendly tampon supplier who popped up restrooms when someone was in need of the product.
And now Tampax tampons are so hard to come by in ‘many parts of the country,’ Time magazine claims, that the company is running its Tampax factory in Maine 24 hours a day to try and keep up with the demand.
‘Retail sales growth has exploded,’ company spokeswoman Cheri McMaster told Time magazine.
She said that demand is up 7.7% since the commercials aired nearly two years ago.
Comedian Amy Schumer, 41, appeared in a series of commercials for Tampax in 2020 and now the Procter & Gamble brand claims Schumer is the one responsible for the high demand
With Tampax tampons flying off the shelves in many parts of the country, some Amazon sellers are ‘taking advantage of the shortage,’ Time magazine reported
The company ‘posted its biggest sales gain in decades in the most recent quarter, and the amount of money it made from sales in its feminine care division was up 10%,’ Time reported.
With Tampax tampons flying off the shelves, some Amazon sellers are ‘taking advantage of the shortage,’ according to the magazine.
In January, one box of 18 Tampax ‘listed for $114, about $6 more more — per tampon — than women usually pay.’
But Time magazine reported that COVID-19 pandemic, factory closures and staff shortages are also all partially responsible for the growth in sales.
Tampons aren’t the only essential item that has recently been hard to find in stores.
The successful ad campaign was launched by P&G, America’s most popular tampon brand, in July 2020 with Schumer, 41, front and center as a friendly tampon supplier
Schumer also is seen in the commercials visiting the gyno
A nationwide baby formula shortage was triggered when the largest baby formula factory in the US closed February after a bacteria contamination and has since worsened nationally.
Abbott Laboratories finally reopened infant formula production at its facility in Sturgis on Saturday having met FDA requirements agreed to last month.
Abbott will then resume production of all other formulas, with the plant having previously said it will take six to eight weeks before stocks are replenished at stores.
Out-of-stock rates climbed to 74 percent across the US for the week ending May 28, according to data from Datasembly – up four percent from the week before.
Additionally, 10 states now have out-of-stock rates at 90 percent or greater, including Arizona, Mississippi, California, Nevada, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Louisiana, Florida and Washington.
Abbott Laboratories restarted infant formula production at its facility in Sturgis, Mich. on Saturday after having met FDA requirements agreed to last month
Out-of-stock formula rates climbed to 74 percent nationally for the week ending May 28, according to data from Datasembly – that’s up 4 percent from the week before
An almost empty baby formula shelf at a grocery store in New York City is pictured on May 31
Georgia is the hardest hit at 94 percent, up from 74 percent the week before.
In an effort to curb the shortage, the FDA has worked to make it easier for foreign-produced baby formula to be imported.
Meanwhile Biden’s administration announced Friday it would bring in 1.3 million cans of Gerber formula from Mexico beginning next month.
The February shutdown of the largest formula factory in the country led to the supply problems that have forced some parents to seek formula from food banks, friends and doctor’s offices.
The company’s recalls and shutdown triggered a cascade of effects. Retailers have limited customer purchasing to conserve supplies and parents have been told to switch brands to whatever formula is in stock.