Kimberly-Clark to Raise Diaper Prices 5%

Kimberly-Clark Corp. said Wednesday it will increase U.S. list prices of Huggies diapers, Pull-Ups training pants and GoodNites absorbent underpants by 5%, effective July 1. The price of Huggies baby wipes will also increase 5% through adjustments to list price and promotion discounts, it said. The price increases will help offset the costs of product improvements and a shift to value-priced, high-count packages, it said. “We don’t expect this price change to affect earnings,” company spokeswoman Wendi Strong said. Kimberly-Clark also said it will replace its limited line of gender-specific jumbo packs of Huggies Ultratrim diapers with a complete line of unisex jumbo packs. Research shows consumers prefer “gender-specific diapers,” but “parents also tell us that the value of jumbo packs is becoming more important to them,” said Dudley Lehman, group president of Infant and Child Care for Kimberly-Clark.