Kleenex ditches 'Mansize' tissues after complaints of sexism
Kleenex is ditching its ‘Mansize’ branded tissue boxes following complaints they are sexist.
The company has decided, after 60 years on the shelves, the boxes will be renamed ‘Extra Large’.
Kleenex revealed the change on its official Twitter feed and told customers to “keep an eye out in shops”.
Kleenex ‘For Men’ tissues were first launched in 1956 as an alternative to cotton handkerchiefs, with the claim they “stayed strong when wet”.
The rebranding has come amid a flurry of complaints on social media, with one mother suggesting it was time for a change.
She tweeted: “Hi @KleenexUK. My four-year-old son asked me what was written here. Then he asked, why are they called Mansize? Can girls, boys & mummies use them?"
"He suggests you should call them 'very large tissues'. It is 2018,” she added.
Hi @Kleenex_UK. My 4yo son asked me what was written here. Then he asked, why are they called mansize? Can girls, boys & mummies use them? I said: I don’t know & yes of course. He suggests you should call them “very large tissues”. It is 2018 pic.twitter.com/SeOg32RsDV
— Lisa Hancox (@LisaMHancox) October 10, 2018
Another person wrote: “In this day and age, is it right for @KleenexUK to have a product that is MANsized? The world is changing, maybe they should too?”
In this day and age, is it right for @Kleenex_UK to have a product that is MANsized? The world is changing maybe they should too? #BOUCRY
— Waseem (@Bennydiction6) October 1, 2018
Another asked: "Really @Kleenex? Do women have different colds to men which mean they have different tissues?"
Really @Kleenex ? Do women have different colds to men which mean they have different tissues? pic.twitter.com/fbwv3ZrTBp
— Douglas Butt (@dougpeterbutt) October 7, 2018
In a statement given to the Daily Telegraph, a spokesman for its parent company, Kimberly-Clark, said: “Our consumer service is registering consistent increase of complaints on gender concern related to Mansize subbrand.
"Kimberly-Clark in no way suggests that being both soft and strong is an exclusively masculine trait, nor do we believe that the Mansize branding suggests or endorses gender inequality.
"Nevertheless, as we remain committed to developing the best possible products for our consumers and take any feedback extremely seriously, we decided to renovate our current product and update the product subbrand as Kleenex Extra Large."