Rely
Rely was a Procter & Gamble superabsorbent tampon brand withdrawn from the United States market in 1980 after being strongly associated with toxic shock syndrome.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Rely was a United States tampon brand introduced by Procter & Gamble in the mid-1970s. It was developed while Procter & Gamble was expanding into the tampon category and was positioned as a technologically different alternative to established products. Rather than relying mainly on the cotton and rayon constructions common at the time, Rely used carboxymethylcellulose together with compressed polyester beads. The design was intended to absorb menstrual fluid very efficiently and to expand in both width and length, forming a cup-like shape inside the vagina. Its commercial proposition centered on high absorbency and reduced leakage, and advertising emphasized that the product could remain effective longer than leading competing tampons. The product was test-marketed in Rochester and Fort Wayne in 1974 and launched more broadly in 1975. Procter & Gamble promoted it through a substantial sampling program, mailing four-tampon sample packs to women across the United States in successive waves. Historical estimates cited in accounts of the brand indicate that approximately 45 million sample packs were distributed and that roughly 26.3 million women used the samples. The advertising campaign used the slogan “It even absorbs the worry!” and commonly ended with the line “Remember, They named it Rely.” Product claims highlighted an absorption capacity reported as nearly twenty times the tampon’s own weight. Rely’s development and market entry occurred before changes to United States medical-device regulation took effect in 1976. Menstrual tampons were subsequently treated as medical devices under the Medical Device Amendments, but Rely’s earlier testing and launch placed it within a regulatory transition period. Because of the applicable grandfathering arrangements, Procter & Gamble was not required to submit the same type of premarket safety evidence that later products would face. The materials and absorbency that differentiated Rely also created serious health concerns. The tampon could absorb natural vaginal moisture, contributing to dryness and potentially causing ulcerations when removed. Its high absorbency could also increase the concentration and viscosity of vaginal fluids, conditions that were described as favorable to bacterial growth. These mechanisms became particularly important in relation to toxic shock syndrome, a severe illness associated with toxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In the summer of 1980, a Centers for Disease Control report described the relationship between tampon characteristics and toxic shock syndrome and identified Rely as being associated with the condition more frequently than other tampons. Procter & Gamble voluntarily recalled Rely on September 22, 1980. The company entered into a consent agreement with the Food and Drug Administration covering consumer notification and product retrieval. Rely was not returned to the market and is now regarded as a major historical example of the health and regulatory risks associated with highly absorbent menstrual products. The withdrawal was followed by extensive litigation. In 1982, federal juries found in separate cases that Procter & Gamble had acted negligently and marketed a defective product, although one plaintiff received no damages. In another case, the company was held liable for the death of a woman who had used Rely and was ordered to pay her husband actual damages. Procter & Gamble also settled a separate toxic-shock-syndrome claim brought by an eighteen-year-old user. The brand is defunct, and its principal significance today is historical: it influenced public understanding of tampon safety, toxic shock syndrome, product warnings, and the regulation of menstrual products.
History
Procter & Gamble developed Rely during its early expansion into the tampon business. The company sought to distinguish the product from established tampons by using materials and an internal structure that differed from the cotton- and rayon-based products common during the period. Rely used carboxymethylcellulose, a non-decomposing compound also used as a food thickener, together with compressed polyester beads. The design was intended to expand in both width and length after insertion, creating a cup-like form that would conform to the user's anatomy and retain menstrual fluid more effectively than products that primarily expanded lengthwise. The product was test-marketed in Rochester and Fort Wayne in 1974. This testing took place before United States regulatory changes in 1976 classified menstrual products as medical devices under the Medical Device Amendments. Because Rely entered the market during this transition, its earlier testing was not subject to the later system of rigorous premarket review and approval. Procter & Gamble began national promotion in 1975, distributing large numbers of sample packs to women throughout the country. Historical estimates state that around 45 million four-tampon sample packs were mailed and that about 26.3 million women used the samples. Rely's marketing presented absorbency as its principal advantage. Advertisements claimed that the tampon could absorb nearly twenty times its own weight in fluid and could last longer than the leading tampon. The principal advertising slogan was “It even absorbs the worry!” Commercials commonly concluded with “Remember, They named it Rely,” reinforcing the brand name as a promise of dependability. The product's cup-forming behavior was promoted as a way of reducing leakage and improving protection. The same superabsorbent properties later became central to concerns about safety. Rely could remove natural vaginal moisture, producing dryness and potentially causing ulcerations in the vaginal wall during removal. Such injuries could create routes for bacteria to enter the bloodstream. The product's ability to absorb and concentrate fluid was also described as potentially supporting bacterial growth. These factors became associated with toxic shock syndrome, a serious illness linked to toxins produced by certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus. In the summer of 1980, the Centers for Disease Control issued a report explaining mechanisms by which tampon use and bacterial activity could contribute to toxic shock syndrome. The report identified Rely as having a stronger association with the condition than other tampons. Procter & Gamble recalled the brand on September 22, 1980. The recall was voluntary but was accompanied by an FDA consent agreement requiring a consumer-notification and product-retrieval program. Rely disappeared from the market and was never relaunched. The recall generated significant legal consequences. In March 1982, a federal jury found Procter & Gamble negligent and found that Rely was a defective product, though the Colorado teenager who brought that case was not awarded damages. In April 1982, another federal jury found the company liable for the toxic-shock death of a woman who had used Rely and ordered payment of $300,000 in actual damages to her husband. In August of the same year, Procter & Gamble settled a claim by an eighteen-year-old woman who alleged that Rely use caused toxic shock syndrome; the settlement amount was not publicly specified in the cited account. Rely's history contributed to broader scrutiny of tampon absorbency, consumer warnings, safety testing, and the regulation of menstrual products. The brand is now defunct. Its importance lies less in continuing commercial activity than in its role as a major product-safety case in the history of personal-care goods and public-health regulation.
- 1982
Early federal product-liability judgments
[1]Federal juries find Procter & Gamble negligent and liable in separate Rely-related cases involving alleged product defects and a toxic-shock death.
- 1980
Brand recalled after toxic shock syndrome concerns
[1]Procter & Gamble recalls Rely on September 22 after Centers for Disease Control findings linked the brand to toxic shock syndrome.
- 1975
Rely launches in the United States
[1]Procter & Gamble begins selling Rely and promotes it nationally through direct sampling and advertising focused on exceptional absorbency.
- 1974
Regional test marketing begins
[1]Rely is test-marketed in Rochester and Fort Wayne before the 1976 regulatory changes affecting menstrual products.
Products and positioning
Rely was positioned as a highly absorbent, leak-resistant tampon that used an unconventional cup-forming construction and could last longer than leading products.
Menstrual tampons · 1975
Rely tampons
Rely was a superabsorbent tampon made with carboxymethylcellulose and compressed polyester beads. Its internal construction was designed to expand in both width and length after insertion, forming a cup-like shape intended to reduce leakage and retain menstrual fluid. The product was marketed as capable of absorbing nearly twenty times its own weight in fluid. Concerns about dryness, tissue injury, bacterial growth, and toxic shock syndrome led to its recall in 1980, and the product is no longer sold.
Controversies
1982
Product-liability litigation
Federal cases found Procter & Gamble negligent and liable in Rely-related litigation, including a case involving a toxic-shock death. Another claim was settled with an eighteen-year-old user.
1980
Toxic shock syndrome association and product recall
Rely's superabsorbent construction was associated with vaginal dryness, possible tissue injury, bacterial growth, and toxic shock syndrome. After a Centers for Disease Control report identified Rely as more strongly associated with toxic shock syndrome than other tampons, Procter & Gamble recalled the brand.
Marketing campaigns
- 1975National sample-pack distribution
United States
Procter & Gamble promoted Rely through successive mailings of four-tampon sample packs. Historical estimates describe approximately 45 million packs distributed and about 26.3 million women using the samples.
Outcome. The program gave Rely broad trial exposure, but the brand was later withdrawn after health concerns and legal disputes.
- 1975It even absorbs the worry!
United States
Rely advertising emphasized unusually high absorbency and a promise of dependable protection. Commercials commonly closed with the line “Remember, They named it Rely.”
Outcome. The campaign established the brand's absorbency-centered positioning before the product was recalled in 1980.
Brand decisions
1980
Voluntary recall and market withdrawalOtherBackground
Centers for Disease Control findings connected tampon characteristics with toxic shock syndrome and identified Rely as having an especially strong association with the condition.
Action taken
Procter & Gamble recalled Rely on September 22 and entered an FDA consent agreement covering consumer notification and retrieval from the market.
Aftermath
Rely was discontinued and did not return to commercial sale. The withdrawal was followed by product-liability lawsuits and settlements.
1975
Launch of superabsorbent Rely tamponsProduct launchBackground
Procter & Gamble was entering a tampon market with established competitors and sought differentiation through a new absorbent material and cup-forming construction.
Action taken
The company introduced Rely in the United States and marketed it around high absorbency, longer use, and reduced leakage.
Aftermath
The product gained broad consumer exposure but was later linked to serious safety concerns.
Recent events
- 2025
Chery announces the revival of Rely as an electric-oriented pickup brand[2]
Product launch
Chery announced in April 2025 that it would revive Rely with a focus on pickup trucks spanning internal-combustion, battery-electric, extended-range electric, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
- 2025
Rely R08 introduced as the revived marque's first pickup[2]
Product launch · Product generation
The Rely R08 was presented in June 2025 as a mid-size pickup available in gasoline, diesel, and battery-electric forms. The model is exported as the Chery Himla.
- 2025
Rely Realoq upmarket pickup variant reported for sale[2]
Product launch
An upmarket version of the R08, identified as the Rely Realoq in the reference material, was reported to go on sale on December 10, 2025.
Sources2 sources
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