Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Little growth across household care product categories
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and forecast of home laundry products, household surface cleaners, and dishwashing products, at current prices, 2010-15
- Eco-friendly packaging still not a top priority for consumers
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- Figure 2: Household care product packaging attribute importance, by product category, October 2015
- Practical usage information most likely to command attention
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- Figure 3: Labeling communication priorities, October 2015
- The opportunities
- Hispanic shoppers a high-potential market for refills and concentrates
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- Figure 4: Household surface cleaner packaging attribute importance, by Hispanic origin, October 2015
- Young adults more likely to look for environmental and ethical claims
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- Figure 5: Labeling communication priorities, by age, October 2015
- Package features likely to command a premium in larger households
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- Figure 6: Interest in packaging features, by household size, October 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Little growth across household care product categories
- Rising consumer confidence could help market
Market Perspective
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- Little growth across household care product categories
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and forecast of home laundry products, household surface cleaners, and dishwashing products, at current prices, 2010-15
- Declining detergent sales weigh on home laundry category
- Next round of compaction may not lead to a big bump in sales
- Growth of in-wash scent boosters helps fabric care, hurts fabric softener
- Bleach back on downward trend after boost from concentration
- Modest pace of growth expected to continue for household surface cleaners
- Three large segments account for bulk of sales
- Top brands drive toilet cleaner sales
- Solid growth rate for dishwashing products shows signs of softening
Market Factors
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- Household income stabilizes but remains weak
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- Figure 8: Median household income, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2004-14
- Rising consumer confidence could help market
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- Figure 9: University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment, 2010-15
- Households with kids decline as a percentage of all households
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- Figure 10: Households, by presence of children, 2003-13
- Growing influence of Hispanic market
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- Figure 11: Households with own children, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2013
- Figure 12: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-20
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- New packaging plays increasingly significant role in new product launches
- Flexible pouches continue to gain, driven by growth of unit-dose laundry detergents
- Recent packaging innovations struggle to maintain momentum
- Eco-friendlier packaging
- Concentrates and refills may gain with interest in subscription services
What’s Working?
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- New packaging plays increasingly significant role in product launches
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- Figure 13: Share of household care new product launches, by launch type, 2009-15
- Flexible pouches continue to gain, driven by growth of unit-dose laundry detergents
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- Figure 14: Share of household care new product launches, by packaging type, 2009-15
What’s Struggling?
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- Recent packaging innovations struggle to maintain momentum
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- Figure 15: MULO sales of select push-and-wipe surface cleaners, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
What’s Next?
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- Eco-friendlier packaging
- Concentrates and refills may gain with interest in subscription services
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Easy dispensing and safe use key areas for packaging development
- Bigger still better
- Practical usage information on label most likely to command attention
- Added features offer opportunity for differentiation
- Young adults less likely to recycle, more likely to look to brands
- Young adults view concentrates as more eco-friendly
- Opportunity to improve the refill experience
Household Care Packaging Attribute Importance
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- Easy dispensing and safe use key areas for packaging development
- Making housecleaning easier
- Bigger is better, especially for laundry products
- Eco-friendly packaging still not a top priority for consumers
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- Figure 16: Household care product packaging attribute importance, by product category, October 2015
- Hispanics a high-potential market for refills and concentrates
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- Figure 17: Household surface cleaner packaging attribute importance, Hispanic orign, October 2015
Labeling Communication Priorities
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- Practical usage information most likely to command attention
- Safety information and ingredient lists are also priorities
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- Figure 18: Labeling communication priorities, October 2015
- Young adults more likely to look for environmental and ethical claims
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- Figure 19: Labeling communication priorities, by age, October 2015
Interest in Packaging Features
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- Added features offer opportunity for differentiation
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- Figure 20: Interest in packaging features, October 2015
- Package features likely to command a premium among those in larger households
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- Figure 21: Interest in packaging features, by household size, October 2015
Environmental Responsibility
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- Young adults less likely to recycle, more likely to look to brands
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- Figure 22: Environmental responsibility, by age, October 2015
- Urban residents interested in learning about eco-friendly packaging
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- Figure 23: Environmental responsibility, by urban/suburban/rural location, October 2015
Concentrated Products
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- Young adults view concentrates as more eco-friendly
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- Figure 24: Concentrated products, by age, October 2015
- Black and Hispanic consumers view concentrates as a better value
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- Figure 25: Concentrated products, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2015
Refills and Bulk/Value Packaging
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- Opportunity to improve the refill experience
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- Figure 26: Refills, by household size, October 2015
- Bulk sizes offer value at the expense of convenience
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- Figure 27: Bulk/value packaging, by household size, October 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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