K-C courts price war as Andrex gets a makeover

Kimberly-Clark (K-C) is slashing prices on its Andrex brand and could drop its famous “soft, strong and long” strapline, after reducing the size of the toilet roll.

K-C is planning a summer marketing push for the Andrex range, which will start in August, and could include an ad campaign.

The company is understood to be reducing the number of sheets in each toilet roll from 280 to 240. It is also thought to be dropping the price, which varies between £1.89 and £2.19 for four rolls, to between £1.65 and £1.85, depending on the retailer.

According to industry insiders, the price reduction will have an impact on all major toilet tissue brands, including Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) Charmin. The move is also expected to hit the own-label toilet tissue market.

A source says: “K-C might have to change its strapline for Andrex to something like ‘best ever’ or ‘even softer’ and forget about the length of the roll.”

J Walter Thompson creates the ads for Andrex, which feature the golden labrador puppy.

A spokesman for K-C confirmed that a “major initiative” is planned for Andrex this summer, but would not comment further on the initiative. However, he adds: “Andrex won’t be doing anything that affects the core positioning of Andrex. It is absolutely committed to the ‘soft, strong and long’ positioning of the brand.”

Last year, K-C almost doubled its ad spend on the Andrex brand to £14m to fight P&G’s onslaught in the toilet tissue sector.