Amidst lawsuit storm, J&J continues to supply SA retailers with talc-based baby powder

The company said the "commercial decision" to transition to an all cornstarch-based baby powder portfolio is part of a "worldwide portfolio assessment" by its consumer health division.

When questioned as to when consumers can expect the products to disappear off local shelves the group said it is "planning to slow down the production of the product in the first quarter of next year".

The talc-based baby powder remains on SA shelves, and investigation into the matter reveals that South Africans won’t get the benefit of the immediate switch to J&J’s new corn-starch-based range.

“Due to capacity constraints at this time, our corn-starch-based powder offering is not expected to be available in South Africa in 2023,” J&J said.

“Consumers can continue to purchase talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder until product supply runs out."

In a previous report the group said cornstarch-based Johnson’s Baby Powder is already sold in countries around the world.

Johnson's talc-based powders were discontinued in the US and Canada in May 2020 already.

According to a report, the company faces about 38,000 lawsuits from consumers and their survivors claiming its talc products caused cancer due to contamination with asbestos, a known carcinogen.