Word: clorox
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This is the opportunity that Clorox Co. hopes to exploit with a natural cleaning line called Green Works, featuring products that it proclaims are biodegradable, are nonallergenic, are not tested on animals and--befitting a company whose name is synonymous with bleach--really give dirt a run for its money. "The challenge for us was to produce a natural cleaning product that actually worked as well as conventional ones and that you could deliver at a reasonable price," says Larry Peiros, Clorox's coo for North America. Last year the company's earnings increased 12%, to $496 million on sales...
...Clorox's entry into this blossoming segment has created somewhat conflicting reactions. Rivals think the giant will make the category, not take it. "It's good news for us. Clorox can help educate the market," says Monica Nassif, founder of the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day brand. She also thinks the company will help expand the availability of eco-friendly ingredients, like plant-based surfactants, from suppliers...
...consumers, it all depends on your shade of green. Peiros acknowledges that Clorox's daring "to mainstream the idea of natural cleaners" has fueled a healthy amount of skepticism among consumers all too aware that Green Works was sired by a company that sells carbon-releasing Kingsford charcoal and petroleum-based Glad bags, not to mention cat litter and even water filters. Karen Hernandez, a jewelry designer in Sarasota, Fla., who considers bleach a "necessary evil," says that given Clorox's product portfolio, she would not buy their green line of products. "Something's amiss that makes me feel uncomfortable...
Peiros doesn't whitewash such public scrutiny, but he believes if the market wants green, there's no reason a trusted brand like Clorox can't provide it. "We're doing something that we think is the right thing for the business and society, and we'd love to be doing more of it over time," he says. "But we don't pretend we've converted ourselves." To up Clorox's eco-cred, the products will carry the logo of the Sierra Club (in return for a portion of sales). And to up its distribution, Clorox got Wal-Mart Stores...
...Before you put it into action, you have to charge the battery and fill up its tank with cleaning solution-a liter of water mixed with two ounces of specially designed concentrate from Clorox. Incidentally, the concentrate contains no bleach, nor does it contain anything that might make the floor sudsy. You have to use the special formula; anything else will void your Scooba warranty. The folks from iRobot say that the solution-three 32-oz bottles for $18 or five for $25-will be available online or where Roombas and Scoobas are sold. They also suggest that...