Laundry detergent pod

Laundry detergent pods (also called "packs" or "liquitabs") are water-soluble pouches containing highly concentrated laundry detergent, softener and other laundry products. They first became popular in February 2012 when they were introduced by Procter & Gamble as Tide Pods (Ariel Pods in Europe).

The chemistry of laundry detergent packs is the same as in liquid detergents (including alkylbenzenesulfonates). The dissolvable packets are typically made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or a derivative of PVA. Although the formulas are similar, the concentration varies; the liquid components of a detergent pod may contain 10% water compared to 50% in liquid detergents. The film is designed to be soluble in cold water. While PVA is water-soluble and technically biodegradable under specific conditions, it is estimated that close to 15,000 metric tons of intact PVA either bypass or make it through treatment facilities every year.

Laundry pods are estimated to make up about 15% of the US$7 billion-a-year U.S. laundry detergent market sales according to market researcher Nielsen NV. Laundry pods were advertised as a way to reduce wasted use of powdered and liquid detergent by having precise measurements for a load. For large loads, most brands recommend two pods, with Tide suggesting up to three. Detergent pods cost significantly more than liquid detergent for equivalent laundry loads. MonoSol is one of the companies that develops the water-soluble film used for laundry and dishwasher detergent packs, used by brands including Tide, with roughly US$250 million in annual sales and controlling around 90-percent of the market.

Notable brands of these packs include All, Arm & Hammer, Gain, Purex, Persil, Rinso and Tide.