​Focus On Household and Paper Products: 28 January

Focus On: Household and paper products

Publishing: 28 January 2023
Advertising deadline: 13 January 2023
Submissions deadline: 6 January 2023

Feature one: Cleaning products
By Daniel Selwood Daniel.Selwood@thegrocer.co.uk 

It’s a David and Goliath story in cleaning products right now. As plucky challengers have emerged touting sustainability credentials, the established brands have started cutting plastic out of their products and improving their environmental practices. Not that everyone is impressed – claims of greenwashing have followed in the wake of this sustainability surge. So who is winning in this battle to convince shoppers of environmental good faith? How are retailers adjusting their own label ranges to become more sustainable? And how is the boom in DTC services affecting the channel mix?

Challengers: Small brands often specialising in DTC efforts have made great gains in the household category, often with sustainability at the heart of their offer. How can they ensure this progress continues?

Incumbents: Many of household product giants are adapting their ranges to increasingly environmentally-minded shoppers, but face scepticism from campaigners. How credible are their sustainability claims, and how can they persuade their critics?

Own label: How are retailers improving the sustainability of own label household items?

Channels: Online subscriptions for household goods have taken off in recent years. How can physical retailers claw back a greater share of the market?

Input costs: Rising supply chain costs have made it harder to keep prices low. How is it affecting the sustainability of household products?

Refill stations: Refill stations for household products have made sporadic appearances across supermarkets and independent stores. What’s the scope for expansion amid the cost of living crisis?

Innovations: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each

Feature one: Paper products
By Emma Weinbren Emma.Weinbren@thegrocer.co.uk 

With the cost of living crisis in full effect, shoppers will be considering more carefully what paper they use when they visit the loo. Trading down will be tempting, if not without its sore points. So in this environment, how can middling and premium toilet paper profit? What factors will incentivise loyalty to pricier brands over own label alternatives? And how will it affect toilet paper subscriptions that have flourished in recent years?

Tiering: Most categories are seeing shoppers trade down into cheap, own label and discounter lines. Is toilet paper seeing this effect, and how can more premium ranges compete?

Own label: How are retailers pushing own label toilet paper? Is the approach purely based on price, or are other factors at play?

Subscriptions: DTC toilet paper services have traded on convenience, sustainability and bulk buying. How can they maintain their progress in the coming year?

Innovations: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each