Natural skin care brand Burt’s Bees shifts toothpaste manufacturing to P&G

By Deanna Utroske

- Last updated on GMT

© Getty Images / (Bet_Noire)
© Getty Images / (Bet_Noire)
Clorox has owned Burt’s Bees since 2007, sold Burt's Bee branded toothpaste since 2010, and recently signed a licensing deal with P&G. Burt’s Bees toothpaste, made by P&G, hits shelves this month.

P&G is well known for its own oral care brands, like Crest, Fixodent, and Oral-B. And the personal care and household care company believes there is space for innovation in the category as well. More natural formulations like the ones P&G is making for Burt’s Bees are just one possibility.  

Yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, P&G gave an oral care product demo called Magic Mirror, illustrating the potential of digital tech to advance and inform the oral care category as well.

Less is more

With the Clorox licensing deal, P&G seems to be exploring ways to reach more oral care consumers consumers. “We know that 35 percent of people in the US are interested in using simple and effective toothpaste formulas, but only 5 percent of that group are buying the products today,” ​Damon Jones, a spokesperson for P&G tells Cincinnati Business Courier​ staff reporter Barrett J. Brunsman.

“Many consumers,” ​says Jones, “feel there are trade-offs with the current product offerings in this segment, so that led us to seek multiple options to address this opportunity.”

Change is clear

The current Burt’s Bees toothpaste portfolio is just 5 SKUs deep. There are 3 varieties of toothpaste marketed to adults: Clean & Fresh Mint Medley Toothpaste with Fluoride, Enamel Care Mountain Mint Toothpaste with Fluoride, and Purely White Zen Peppermint Toothpaste Fluoride-Free. While there are 2 options for kids: Kids Fruit Fusion Toothpaste with Fluoride and Kids Fruit Fusion Toothpaste Fluoride-Free.

All formulas are packaged in standup, flip-top tubes. And, as Brunsman reports “packaging for the new toothpaste notes the Burt’s Bees trademark and logo are used by P&G under license. The Clorox name doesn’t appear on packaging.”

---

DeannaUtroske_Editor_CosmeticsDesign

Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.

Related news

Show more

Related product