P&G Ariel Ultra brands face axe

Procter & Gamble is understood to be scrapping its remaining Ariel Ultra sub-brands to focus on the Ariel Future brand.

Procter & Gamble is understood to be scrapping its remaining Ariel Ultra sub-brands to focus on the Ariel Future brand.

The concentrated laundry detergents sub-brands – Ariel Ultra and Ariel Colour Ultra – will no longer be on supermarket shelves from the end of August, say industry sources.

It is understood that the sub-brands are being pulled as part of a decision to cut back variants which confuse consumers.

Advertising support for the Ultra range has fallen from 9.7m at the end of March 1994, before the Future launch, to 2.5m in the year to March 1996.

A P&G spokesman denies the company is axing the sub-brands.

Ariel Future was launched in January 1995 in response to Lever Brothers’ launch of Persil Power in April 1994. The brand was intended to replace Ariel Ultra, which was introduced in 1989. But P&G kept two variants of Ultra on the shelves because the company said the sub-brands had loyal customers.