DEVELOPMENTS in fashion, environmental awareness and washing machine and detergent technology have all changed the way people wash their clothes.
That’s the view of Yilmaz Erceyes, P&G brand manager fabric care for the UK and the Republic of Ireland. He said: “As people’s lives have changed their laundry habits, and the type of clothing people wear, have changed too. This has required changes to the way our products work and fit in with the lives of our consumers.”
Erceyes says P&G’s latest products respond to those evolving consumer demands, citing the launch of Ariel 3in1 pods, a formula upgrade on Lenor and the launch of liquid formats across the company’s entire laundry portfolio.
According to SIG figures for the convenience channel, the laundry category is worth £111m with detergents making up 76%, fabric conditioners 22%, and other additives to the wash accounting for the final 2%.
Across the UK, the homecare category is worth £1.5bn according to IRI and Euromonitor, breaking down into dishcare (£438m), aircare (£338m) and surface care (£320m), followed by toilet care (£188m), bleach (£87m) and polish (£78m).
P&G puts continued growth down to clear stratification of products by room and to NPD, such as its new Flash Magic Eraser range.
• Easy products that include an antibacterial function are consistently popular according to Nicola Bradbury, brand manager at household products manufacturer McBride.
“Our Clean N Fresh antibacterial surface cleanser and bleach are always a popular choice among shoppers looking for great value products that kill a wide range of bacteria.
“We have also seen a move towards convenient but effective products such as trigger cleaners and our Erase Away cleaning sponge, which is quick and easy to use.
“We have also seen a demand for convenient products within the laundry sector.
“Liquid Laundry Sachets, such as Clean N Fresh 2 in 1 or Non-Biological Capsules, are the ultimate product in convenience for the consumer as there is no need to measure the dose.”
