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Laundry Detergents, Fabric Conditioners and Fabric Care - UK - September 2018

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Products covered in this Report
Excluded
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Market sees third consecutive year of decline
Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and fabric care products, 2013-23
Companies and brands
Persil leads laundry detergents
Figure 2: Brands’ value shares in laundry detergents, year to July 2018
Comfort grows while Lenor falls back in fabric conditioners
Figure 3: Brands’ value shares in fabric conditioners, year to July 2018
Declining value of Vanish dents specialist product sales
Figure 4: Brands’ value shares in wash treatments, year to July 2018
Ironing enhancers dominated by own-label
Figure 5: Brands’ value shares in ironing enhancers, year to July 2018
The consumer
Gender gap remains
Figure 6: Laundry responsibilities, by gender, June 2018
Everyday washers favour powder
Figure 7: Frequency of doing the laundry, June 2018
Concentrated liquid/gel format under pressure from pods
Figure 8: Usage of laundry detergents in the last 12 months, June 2018
Only 54% use fabric conditioner
Figure 9: Usage of fabric conditioning and care products in the last 12 months, June 2018
Pre-laundry tasks are common
Figure 10: Laundry task types, June 2018
The trend towards hypoallergenic laundry
Figure 11: Attitudes towards laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and fabric care, June 2018
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Laundry detergents cannibalise sales of fabric care
The facts
The implications
Skin health and the environment present growth opportunities
The facts
The implications
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Market sees third consecutive year of decline
Skin health plays a role
Manufacturers pushing pod format in detergents
Fabric care pressured by advances in detergents
Supermarkets grow sales with competitive pricing
Fewer families = reduced washing needs
Number of households continues to rise
Weather conditions to affect consumer behaviour
Allergies to be a key consideration
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Decline in value of laundry detergents stalls…
…as decline in value of fabric care gains momentum
Figure 12: UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and fabric care products, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
Decline in market may accelerate again
Figure 13: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and fabric care products, 2013-23
Forecast methodology
MARKET SEGMENTATION
Laundry detergents
Skin health plays a role
Figure 14: UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, by formulation, years ending May 2017 and 2018
Manufacturers pushing pod format
Figure 15: UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, by product format, years ending May 2017 and 2018
Gem formats make their entrance
Fabric care
Fabric care under pressure from multifunctional detergents
Figure 16: UK retail value sales of fabric care products*, years ending May 2017 and 2018
Fabric conditioner sales flat
Figure 17: UK retail value sales of fabric conditioners, by type, years ending May 2017 and 2018
Whitener segment steals share from stain removers
Figure 18: UK retail value sales of wash treatment products, by type, years ending May 2017 and 2018
CHANNELS TO MARKET
Supermarkets grow sales with competitive pricing
Figure 19: UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, by outlet type, 2016-18
Figure 20: smol laundry product subscription service, 2018
Online channels offer growth potential
Figure 21: UK retail value sales of fabric care products, by outlet type, 2016-18
MARKET DRIVERS
Birth rate flatlines
Figure 22: Trends in number of live births (thousands), and mean age of mothers at the birth of their child, England and Wales, 2010-17
Number of households to grow
Figure 23: UK households, by size, 2013-23
Employment change to affect sector
Figure 24: Employment trends (thousands), by gender, 2013-23
Financial confidence stagnates
Figure 25: Trends in current financial situation compared to a year ago, July 2011-July 2018
Laundry a key battleground in supermarket price war
Figure 26: Type of store where the most money is spent in a typical month, September 2016 and September 2017
Weather conditions to affect consumer behaviour
Environmental awareness rises
Allergies to be a key consideration
Figure 27: Allergy UK approval seals, 2018
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Persil leads laundry detergents
Comfort grows while Lenor falls back in fabric conditioners
NPD in detergent capsules grows
Launch activity in fabric care bounces back
P&G alone now half of all adspend
Consumers struggle to differentiate between leading brands
Vanish struggles for sales but resonates with consumers
MARKET SHARE
Persil leads laundry detergents
Figure 28: Brand shares in laundry detergents, years ending July 2017 and 2018
Comfort grows while Lenor falls back in fabric conditioners
Figure 29: Brand shares in fabric conditioners and tumble dryer enhancers, years ending July 2017 and 2018
Declining value of Vanish dents specialist product sales
Figure 30: Brand shares in wash treatments*, years ending July 2017 and 2018
Ironing enhancers dominated by own-label
Figure 31: Brand shares in ironing enhancers*, years ending July 2017 and 2018
LAUNCH ACTIVITY AND INNOVATION
Laundry detergents
NPD in capsules grows
Figure 32: New product launches in the automatic laundry detergents sub-category, by format type, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 33: Examples of capsule laundry detergent launches, 2017-18
Gem format makes its mark
Spike in new packaging ends
Figure 34: New product launches in the laundry detergents category, by launch type, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 35: Examples of alternative packaging in laundry detergent launches, 2017-18
Figure 36: Ariel Purclean detergent, 2018
Unilever retains NPD lead
Figure 37: New product launches in the UK laundry detergents category, by ultimate company (based on top seven for 2017) and other, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 38: Method Smartclean technology laundry detergent range, 2018
Rising claims linked to skincare
Figure 39: Top 10 claims in the UK laundry detergent market (based on leading claims for 2017), 2016 and 2017
Figure 40: Examples of laundry detergent launches promoting skin health, 2017-18
Fabric care
Launch activity bounces back
Figure 41: New product launches in the fabric care category, by launch type, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 42: Comfort Perfume Deluxe range, 2018
Figure 43: Lenor Parfum des Secrets range, 2018
Uptick in underperforming categories
Figure 44: New product launches in the fabric care market, by product type, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 45: Fairy non-bio laundry aid range, 2018
P&G seeks to offset Lenor’s decline
Figure 46: New product launches in the UK fabric conditioners and fabric care* category, by ultimate company (based on top seven for 2017) and other, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 47: Examples of new fabric care product launches, 2017-18
Dermatologically tested a standout claim in 2017
Figure 48: Top 10 claims in the UK fabric care products market (based on leading claims for 2017), 2016 and 2017
Figure 49: Examples of skin-friendly fabric care product launches, 2017-18
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING ACTIVITY
Adspend continues upward trend
Figure 50: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on laundry and fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, January 2015-June 2018
P&G alone now half of all adspend
Figure 51: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on laundry and fabric care products, by advertiser, January 2015-June 2018
Whitener adspend drags on overall market
Figure 52: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on laundry and fabric care products, by sub-category, January 2015-June 2018
Ariel’s £10 million ad campaign
Figure 53: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on laundry detergents, by leading brands, 2017
Figure 54: Ariel ’Do You Pod?’ advert, 2018
Lenor outspends Comfort
Figure 55: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on fabric care products*, by leading brands, 2017
Figure 56: Neutral 0% laundry product range, 2018
Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
BRAND RESEARCH
Brand map
Figure 57: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, July 2018
Key brand metrics
Figure 58: Key metrics for selected brands, July 2018
Brand attitudes: Vanish worth paying more for
Figure 59: Attitudes, by brand, July 2018
Brand personality: Ariel and Persil, and Lenor and Comfort inseparable
Figure 60: Brand personality – macro image, July 2018
Persil and Ariel both efficient and effective
Figure 61: Brand personality – micro image, July 2018
Brand analysis
Vanish struggles for sales but resonates with consumers
Figure 62: User profile of Vanish, July 2018
Comfort outperforms Lenor on majority of metrics
Figure 63: User profile of Comfort, July 2018
Lenor a clear #2 in the sector
Figure 64: User profile of Lenor, July 2018
Persil virtually inseparable from Ariel
Figure 65: User profile of Persil, July 2018
Ariel users more likely to have excellent experience than with Persil
Figure 66: User profile of Ariel, July 2018
Ecover’s brand proposition still not widely known
Figure 67: User profile of Ecover, July 2018
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Gender gap remains
Everyday washers favour powder
Concentrated liquid/gel format under pressure from pods
Gems make their mark
Only 54% use fabric conditioner
Pre-laundry tasks are common
The trend towards hypoallergenic laundry
Consumers confused about laundry product formulas
LAUNDRY RESPONSIBILITY
Gender gap remains
Figure 68: Any responsibility for doing the laundry at home, by gender and age, June 2018
Figure 69: Any responsibility for buying laundry detergents, by gender and age, June 2018
Figure 70: Any responsibility for buying fabric care products, by gender and age, June 2018
FREQUENCY OF LAUNDRY
Everyday washers favour powder
Figure 71: Frequency of doing the laundry, June 2018
Consumers encouraged to do the laundry less frequently
USAGE OF LAUNDRY DETERGENTS
Concentrated liquid/gel format under pressure from pods
Figure 72: Usage of laundry detergents in the last 12 months, June 2018
Gems make their mark
USAGE OF FABRIC CONDITIONERS AND FABRIC CARE PRODUCTS
Only 54% use fabric conditioner
Figure 73: Usage of fabric conditioning and care products in the last 12 months, June 2018
Figure 74: Persil Powergems and Persil Powercaps website banners, August 2018
LAUNDRY ROUTINES
Pre-laundry tasks are common
Figure 75: Laundry task types, June 2018
Drying methods affected by weather and housing
ATTITUDES TOWARDS LAUNDRY DETERGENTS, FABRIC CONDITIONERS AND FABRIC CARE 
The trend towards hypoallergenic laundry
Figure 76: Attitudes towards laundry detergents, fabric conditioners and fabric care, June 2018
Scented detergents may be denting conditioner sales
Consumers confused about laundry product formulas
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Abbreviations
Consumer research methodology
Forecast methodology
APPENDIX – THE MARKET
Figure 77: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2013-23
Figure 78: UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
Figure 79: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of laundry detergents, 2013-23
Figure 80: UK retail value sales of fabric conditioners, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
Figure 81: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of fabric conditioners, 2013-23
Figure 82: UK retail value sales of wash treatments, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
Figure 83: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of wash treatments, 2013-23
Figure 84: UK retail value sales of ironing enhancers, at current and constant prices, 2013-23
Figure 85: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK retail value sales of ironing enhancers, 2013-23
APPENDIX – COMPANIES AND BRANDS 
Figure 86: New product launches in the laundry detergent category, own-label vs branded, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 87: New product launches in the fabric care category, own-label vs branded, January 2015-June 2018
Figure 88: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on laundry and fabric care products, by media type, January 2015-June 2018

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