Focus On Household and Paper Products: 29 January

By Jimmy Nicholls jimmy.nicholls@thegrocer.co.uk 

Publishing: 29 January 2022
Advertising deadline: 14 January 2022
Submissions deadline: 7 January 2022

Rarely in history have Brits been so concerned with cleanliness, with the public regularly bombarded by advice on hand-washing, quarantining deliveries, and keeping face masks. But we seem to be tiring of the scrubbing. Household products are in decline, annualising on 2020’s strong sales. Casualties include everything from bog roll to furniture polish, with many cleansers also down. So are we letting our homes get grimier as we spend more time out the house? Are we using stockpiles bought during earlier lockdowns? And what might entice us to pick up the spray again and start wiping down surfaces in earnest?

Toilet tissues: Bog roll wiped the floor in 2020, consolidating its position as the top segment in household and paper products. This year it has fallen back by 4.7% in sales, though it is still up on 2019 figures. What’s next for toilet tissues?

Cleansers: Many household cleansers saw mild sales dips on the back of strong annual sales the previous year. How can air fresheners, machine washing products, antiseptics, liquid disinfectants, washing up products and other household cleaners consolidate their positions?

Channels: Online has been gaining market share in household products over the past year, with bargain stores and discounters also profiting. Direct to consumer (DTC) is proving especially suited to bulk purchases common in the category. So will we continue to see further shifts as pandemic restrictions change?

Brand trust: Brands have been the main contributor to household growth as consumers turned to products that they could trust with clear anti-bacterial credentials. But will looming threats of economic disruption have us turning back to value products in own label?

Sustainability: Household suppliers have been urgently cutting plastic from their products. Challenger brands are also threatening incumbents by flaunting sustainability credentials. Are such moves causing customers to switch products?

Hand sanitiser: From being a rare accessory for germaphobes, hand sanitiser became an essential item for ever handbag, backpack or jacket pocket. Will it now return to obscurity, or will more of us be keeping our digits clean at all times?

Other household: Other households items like batteries, food wraps, bin liners, electric light bulbs, insecticides, firelighters and shoe care products have remained stable after last year’s growth. Is this reflective of habits changed by the pandemic?

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