Swiffer in question as Flash brand extended

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is to cease production of its Swiffer kit – the disposable dusting cloth on a swivel head, putting a question mark over the brand itself.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is to cease production of its Swiffer kit – the disposable dusting cloth on a swivel head, putting a question mark over the brand itself.

Following the discontinuation of the Swiffer kit, P&G is launching a wet-floor cleaning product called Flash Express, backed by a &£4m marketing and advertising campaign.

Grey Worldwide handles advertising for the Flash brand, and Flash Express will be treated as an extension of Flash All-Purpose Cleaner.

The “revolutionary” Swiffer dry-mop, charged with static electricity, was introduced in the UK in July 1999. P&G claimed it marked the creation of a new segment in the household cleaning sector (MW February 3, 2000).

A household goods buyer says: “Flash Express will be rather like SC Johnson’s Pledge wet-wipes.”

Another buyer says that Flash Express will appear on the shelves in the next three weeks.

A spokeswoman for P&G says: “The Swiffer brand is not being discontinued. All this is absolute nonsense.” The spokeswoman also denied the launch of Flash Express.

The Swiffer starter pack, with eight cloths and a pole, costs &£11.99; refills are priced at &£1.79 in most retail stores.