Reckitt launches Harpic Loocator app to help women access public toilets

The Harpic Loocator App is aimed at helping people, especially women, find public toilets on the go.

The Harpic Loocator app allows users to rate toilets based on amenities like water, soap, tissue paper, cleanliness and lighting. (Reckitt)

Time to cue the jokes about every brand wanting their own app. Consumer goods company Reckitt on Wednesday launched the “Harpic Loocator App” aimed at helping everyone — especially women — access public toilets on the go.

A survey conducted in Delhi revealed that 70 per cent of women struggle to find a toilet in public when in need and goes on to state that they spend 60 minutes on average searching for a restroom, according to Reckitt. This forces women to limit their water intake when travelling our outdoors, which could lead to health risks like dehydration and urinary tract infections.

The Harpic Loocator App is aimed at addressing this issue and is designed to help people locate public toilets and even rate them or add toilets on the app.

“The dearth of information and accessibility regarding clean public toilets affects all segments of society, but women bear the brunt most significantly. Many alter their daily routines and lifestyles to avoid using public facilities, which can have detrimental effects on their health. For those who frequently travel for work or leisure, these challenges are magnified. This situation has resulted in school and college dropouts, reluctance to pursue travel-related jobs, safety concerns, and more,” said Saurabh Jain, Regional Marketing Director, South Asia – Hygiene, Reckitt, in a press statement.

The ‘Be Free To Pee’ initiative is aimed at aiding consumers with bathroom and toilet solutions, addressing the unspoken challenges many women encounter in India. “The ‘Be Free To Pee’ campaign is a testament of our commitment to help consumers with solutions to all their bathroom and toilet problems. As we embark on this journey to initiate conversations around unspoken challenges faced by many women in India, we urge you all to join us by using the ‘Harpic Loocator’ app and rate the toilets around you, helping women make safe and informed choices,” said Jain.

The app allows users to rate toilers based on amenities like water, soap, tissue paper, cleanliness and lighting. The Harpic Loocator App will be available to download on Android and iOS.