Why Band-Aid's New Product Line Is So Important

Band-Aid is joining the scores of corporations making changes in support of the Black Lives Matter movement following the nationwide protests against systemic racism and the death of George Floyd. The company announced a new line of bandages on June 10 that will come in a range of skin tones from beige to dark brown, to "embrace the beauty of diverse skin" (via the New York Post). Up until now, standard Band-Aid bandages have come in only beige, sheer (beige), and clear varieties, though even the clear bandages that are meant to be invisible have a spot of beige in the center, over the "comfort pad" (via Band-Aid). While many have praised Band-Aid for the positive change, others are critical of the timing, claiming that consumers have been requesting a diverse range of bandages for years to no effect (via Kron4) — but the recent call for social change may not be their sole motivation. 

While Band-Aid's new launch may seem to be entirely prompted by the recent protests, it may also be in response to competition. Tru Colour bandages, which offer a range of skin tone options for a very competitive price, are available at Target, Meijer, and on Amazon, and have been since 2018 (via Tru Colour). Whether or not this new brand had an influence, it's clear Band-Aid is trying to keep up with what consumers want.

Band-Aid has yet to announce the exact launch date of this new line, though they did mention in an Instagram comment that consumers can expect it sometime next year in the comments of an Instagram post. The company's Instagram post announcing the new line also acknowledged that this is just the first step of many that the company plans to make in support of racial equality, promising to also make a donation to the Black Lives Matter movement. "We hear you. We see you. We're listening to you. ⁣We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice. We are committed to taking actions to create tangible change for the Black community," the post read, in part.

Whether this is too little too late, it is definitely a step in the right direction for Band-Aid, and hopefully many more companies will follow suit.