General Merchandise

CINCINNATI — Jewel, an acclaimed singer and songwriter, joined Swiffer on Thursday to celebrate the debut of the new Swiffer Sweep and Trap, which features soft rotating beater blades that are designed to scoop up large particles into a removable dirt bin for quick disposal.

SOUTH DEERFIELD, Mass. — The Yankee Candle Co. announced the addition of a new fragrance blend to its Relaxing Rituals line. The fifth scent, which the company named Uplift, was created with a blend of grapefruit, lemon and ginger.

FAIRPORT HARBOR, Ohio — OurPet's, a pet supply company, announced the launch of a new line of products available through the food, drug and mass market channel. The Pet Zone brand will offer toys and accessories that are meant to enhance the well-being of pets.

SAN FRANCISCO — Big Heart Pet Brands on Wednesday announced its launch as the largest standalone pet food-and-snack company in North America. The creation of Big Heart Pet Brands comes on the heels of the company's sale of its consumer products division to Del Monte Pacific Limited, which closed on Feb. 18, 2014.

The new name mirrors the company's focus on the pet products market. Big Heart Pet Brands will continue to deliver such brands as Milk Bone, Meow Mix, Kibbles 'n Bits and Nature's Recipe, among others.

STERLING, Ill. — Wahl recently introduced No-Rinse waterless shampoo and doggie deodorant. The products are designed to make pet bathing easy. No-Rinse was designed for in-between baths, but sales are strong in cold-weather seasons when consumers want to bath their pets but don’t want to take the hose out.

The shampoo’s all-natural, foaming formula allows users to apply and towel dry to remove dirt and debris while providing a natural scent. Doggie deodorant also is an all-natural spray formula that can used directly on the dog or the furniture to remove odors.

ST. LOUIS — Lighter-weight cat litters are gaining ground. Purina recently introduced Tidy Cats LightWeight 24/7 Performance, a litter that is at least 50% lighter than traditional scooping cat litter, but has all the benefits of regular litters. A combination of clay and natural lightweight materials makes buying, pouring and storing much easier for pet owners. The product offers continuous odor control, is 99.9% dust free and produces light, tight clumps for easy clean up.

Mintel projects the pet products category will grow an average of 3.8% over the next five years to nearly $13.7 billion by 2017.

(For the full category review, including sales data, click here.)

NOVATO, Calif. — 4ThoughtProducts has announced the release of Pill Pod, a new safety device that serves as a "keyless" drug lock box for use in the home.