P&G plans to be first to make

Procter & Gamble hopes to be the first to market moist toilet tissues with the launch of Charmin Fresh Mates.

Rival Kimberly-Clark has already announced the launch of a similar pre-moistened toilet roll, Cottonelle Fresh Rollwipes, for later this year.

P&G will launch Charmin Fresh Mates in the US in July. A spokesman for the company would not divulge any plans for the European launch.

Charmin Fresh Mates, with a recommended retail price of $2.49 (&£1.73) to $2.99 (&£2.08), will include a roll of 99 moist tissue sheets and a dispenser that hangs from most existing dry-roll holders.

Advertising is being developed by D’Arcy New York and will appear in the US in August.

P&G was forced to halve the strength of Charmin toilet roll after its &£27m UK launch in February last year. The soft tissue industry asked it to modify its formula after it was discovered the paper could cause serious sewerage blockages (MW May 11, 2000).

Kimberly-Clark plans to support the launch of its pre-moistened toilet rolls with a $40m (&£27.9m) campaign in the US (MW January 25). It has launched a website, rollwipes.com, to promote the product.

P&G launches Pampers Sunnies Swim Pants – nappies for use in swimming pools – in the UK and central European markets this month.