NEW YORK — Procter & Gamble is cleaning up during the pandemic.
The company's sales were up last year, since it happens to make just about everything people needed while staying at home: Charmin toilet paper, Bounty paper towels and Tide laundry detergent.
One new product came at the right time: Disinfectant spray Microban 24 was released in February 2020, just before U.S. lockdowns began and as people rushed to find cleaning products that could keep surfaces and door knobs germ-free.
"This product, as you can imagine, is on fire right now," said Marc Pritchard, P&G's chief brand officer.
Not so hot: Gillette razors. Sales have slumped as men skip their morning shave routines while they work from home instead of the office. It is now selling beard oils and balms, a major shift for a brand that has promoted clean-shaven faces for more than a century.
