The world of the machine wash is somewhat in the doldrums but manufacturers are working to make innovations gel
Although consumers like their whites to wash whiter, they don’t always want to pay for the privilege.
Washing powder has long been a commodity market, with volume growing faster than value. The latest figures from TNS show that machine wash products have dipped 1.6% to £806m, fabric conditioners were down 1.2% to £247m last year, wash additives dropped 0.7% to £80m and handwash products tumbled 18.4% to £6m.
Powders and tablets are losing favour with many consumers, but liquids are faring better with others who value convenience. As a result, manufacturers are developing products that use liquids such as Persil’s combined gel and tablet format, Gel Tablets with stain removers, so there’s no need to pre-treat on everyday stains.
Zoe Hayward, Persil brand executive at Unilever UK Home and Personal Care, says: “This product is unique and the visual cue of a gel layer on the tablet excites consumers, encouraging them to trade up.”
Nikki Wake, Musgrave Budgens Londis trading manager for laundry and paper, agrees that future growth in laundry care is going to be through liquids and the new generation of liquid tabs, but says category innovation has been thin on the ground.
Nevertheless, the Ariel range was repackaged, Unilever combined its two big laundry brands to create Persil with Fragrance of Comfort last year, while P&G points to fragrance as its big news.
Says marketing director for fabric and homecare at P&G, Guiseppe Casareto: “Innovation isn’t necessarily about changing the product but about providing a new experience that’s more enjoyable, and consumers are responding well to this.”
Lenor’s Sleep Sensation is a similar product that has just been joined by an In The Pink variant - which is all about getting consumers in the mood to go out after conditioning their clothes. Indeed, P&G believes that just as people choose perfumes for different moods, they are also opting for certain fragrances for going out.
Adding more properties to one product seems to be one way the market is going, but ensuring they don’t harm the environment is another. The ethical sector might get a lot bigger if more consumers pick up on the first laundry powder to carry the European symbol of environmental excellence - the Eco label - in the UK.
Acdo Enviro is one eco-friendly biological concentrated laundry powder that has also been dermatologically tested. Says James Conway, general manager at ACDOCO: “Consumer perception has been that it’s a trade-off - if you’re going to use a washing powder that’s environmentally friendly, they think you won’t get as clean a wash. But Enviro delivers the same performance as other branded powders.”
Clare Allman, Ecover’s UK marketing manager, says ecological powders are growing due to more consumers understanding the need for sustainability.
But ultimately, purchasing habits come down to price, says Tim Shaw, Waitrose non-food buyer. “Pricing is important, especially as manufacturing costs in detergents are closely linked to oil prices, and suppliers will, as ever, be looking to establish added value propositions with sales volume.”
Although consumers like their whites to wash whiter, they don’t always want to pay for the privilege.
Washing powder has long been a commodity market, with volume growing faster than value. The latest figures from TNS show that machine wash products have dipped 1.6% to £806m, fabric conditioners were down 1.2% to £247m last year, wash additives dropped 0.7% to £80m and handwash products tumbled 18.4% to £6m.
Powders and tablets are losing favour with many consumers, but liquids are faring better with others who value convenience. As a result, manufacturers are developing products that use liquids such as Persil’s combined gel and tablet format, Gel Tablets with stain removers, so there’s no need to pre-treat on everyday stains.
Zoe Hayward, Persil brand executive at Unilever UK Home and Personal Care, says: “This product is unique and the visual cue of a gel layer on the tablet excites consumers, encouraging them to trade up.”
Nikki Wake, Musgrave Budgens Londis trading manager for laundry and paper, agrees that future growth in laundry care is going to be through liquids and the new generation of liquid tabs, but says category innovation has been thin on the ground.
Nevertheless, the Ariel range was repackaged, Unilever combined its two big laundry brands to create Persil with Fragrance of Comfort last year, while P&G points to fragrance as its big news.
Says marketing director for fabric and homecare at P&G, Guiseppe Casareto: “Innovation isn’t necessarily about changing the product but about providing a new experience that’s more enjoyable, and consumers are responding well to this.”
Lenor’s Sleep Sensation is a similar product that has just been joined by an In The Pink variant - which is all about getting consumers in the mood to go out after conditioning their clothes. Indeed, P&G believes that just as people choose perfumes for different moods, they are also opting for certain fragrances for going out.
Adding more properties to one product seems to be one way the market is going, but ensuring they don’t harm the environment is another. The ethical sector might get a lot bigger if more consumers pick up on the first laundry powder to carry the European symbol of environmental excellence - the Eco label - in the UK.
Acdo Enviro is one eco-friendly biological concentrated laundry powder that has also been dermatologically tested. Says James Conway, general manager at ACDOCO: “Consumer perception has been that it’s a trade-off - if you’re going to use a washing powder that’s environmentally friendly, they think you won’t get as clean a wash. But Enviro delivers the same performance as other branded powders.”
Clare Allman, Ecover’s UK marketing manager, says ecological powders are growing due to more consumers understanding the need for sustainability.
But ultimately, purchasing habits come down to price, says Tim Shaw, Waitrose non-food buyer. “Pricing is important, especially as manufacturing costs in detergents are closely linked to oil prices, and suppliers will, as ever, be looking to establish added value propositions with sales volume.”
No comments yet