Kleenex is rebranding its Mansize tissues after complaints that the name is sexist. The company said the product would instead be called Kleenex Extra Large.

Kleenex was first sold in the US in the early 1920s as a cold cream and makeup remover and launched in the UK the following year. The company introduced “Kleenex for Men” in 1956 with the claim that the tissues would “stay strong when wet”.

But growing criticism has forced the company to change its branding. Consumers have tweeted to ask Kleenex why its products still use the term mansize when “the world is changing”.

Hi @Kleenex_UK. My 4yo son asked me what was written here. Then he asked, why are they called mansize? Can girls, boys & mummies use them? I said: I don’t know & yes of course. He suggests you should call them “very large tissues”. It is 2018 pic.twitter.com/SeOg32RsDV — Lisa Hancox (@LisaMHancox) October 10, 2018

In this day and age, is it right for @Kleenex_UK to have a product that is MANsized? The world is changing maybe they should too? #BOUCRY — Waseem (@Bennydiction6) October 1, 2018

A spokesperson for Kimberly-Clark, Kleenex’s parent company, said: “Kleenex Mansize tissues have been on shelves for the past 60 years. The brand has been characterised by a much larger tissue size, which is both soft and durable.

“It was launched at a time when large cotton handkerchiefs were still very popular and Kleenex offered a unique disposable alternative. To this day, it remains one of our most popular products, with over 3.4 million people buying the tissues every year.

“We are always grateful to customers who take time to tell us how our products can be improved, and we carefully consider all suggestions. Thanks to recent feedback we are now rebranding our Mansize tissues to Kleenex Extra Large.”

The spokesperson said consumers may see the new name on some boxes in stores already.

The move follows Waitrose’s announcement that it was changing the name of its gentleman’s smoked chicken caesar roll because of complaints.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had yet to receive any complaints about Kleenex ads referring to Mansize tissues.

While the ASA does not have a breakdown of complaints specifically about sexism in adverts, a spokesperson said the depiction of gender was a “live issue”. The ASA had undertaken a significant amount of work around gender stereotypes in ads in the past 18 months, the spokesperson said.

This included research into public opinion and a consultation on a proposed new rule preventing harmful gender stereotypes.