Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The Insights
- COVID-19 has placed a spotlight on cleaning the home
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- Figure 1: Purchase factors, April 2020
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- Figure 2: Impact of COVID-19 on cleaning routine frequency, April 2020
- The gender gap is shrinking thanks to younger Canadians
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- Figure 3: Share of cleaning responsibilities, by age and gender, April 2020
- Time commitment is a significant barrier to cleaning
- Scent is a strong motivator
- The Opportunities
- Natural products are poised for growth
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- Figure 4: “Natural cleaning products are just as effective as traditional chemical cleaners” (% any agree), by age, April 2020
- Environmentally friendly brands are now mainstream
- Canadians are considering the environmental impact of their cleaning product purchases
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- Figure 5: Environmental purchase factors (select), April 2020
- What it means
The Impact of COVID-19 on Household Cleaners
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- Summary
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- Figure 6: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on household cleaners, May 2020
- Opportunities and Threats
- Availability issues created opportunities for smaller market players and DIY recipes
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- Figure 7: Clorox Instagram post, April 2020
- Brands should be positioned as helpers
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- Figure 8: BlogTO Instagram Post, March 2020
- Probiotics will be in a strong position in the coming months
- Impact on the household cleaner market
- A renewed focus on disinfecting and associated panic buying caused a sales jump
- How the COVID-19 crisis will affect the household cleaner market’s key consumer segments
- Cleaning frequency has changed among some groups as a result of COVID-19
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- Figure 9: Impact of COVID-19 on cleaning routine frequency, by age, April 2020
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- Figure 10: Introducing Swiffer Dusters Super Extender!, January 2019
- Cleaning routines have been disrupted for parents
- How a COVID-19 recession will reshape the household cleaner industry
- Unemployment will create a renewed focus on value
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- Figure 11: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Durable (Canada), September 2019
- Figure 12: Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Sheets (Canada), May 2019
- COVID-19: Canadian context
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- COVID-19 has brought sanitation needs to the forefront of cleaning
- Housing trends will create diverse cleaning needs
- One-person households are increasing, reducing the amount of mess
- Canada’s ageing population will struggle with physical limitations
- Healthier lifestyle aspirations are impacting product choices
Market Factors
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- Housing trends will create diverse cleaning needs
- One-person households are increasing, reducing the amount of mess
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- Figure 13: Proportion of Canadians living alone, by age, 1981 vs 2016
- Canada’s ageing population will struggle with physical limitations
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- Figure 14: Population aged 0-14 and 65+, 1995-2035*
- Figure 15: Yanko Design, January 2020
- Consumers are demanding healthier, more natural products
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- Figure 16: P&G SmartLabel, November 2018
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Sustainable products are no longer niche
- Brands are working to reduce the impact of plastic packaging…
- …and incorporate natural and plant-based ingredients
- Private-label and DIY products will cut into brand-name product sales
- Convenient and time-saving products are gaining importance
What’s Working?
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- Sustainable products are no longer niche
- Brands are working to reduce the impact of plastic packaging…
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- Figure 17: Tru Earth Instagram post, May 2020
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- Figure 18: Blueland TV advertisement YouTube video, January 2020
- Figure 19: Environmental purchase factors (select), April 2020
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- Figure 20: Etee Instagram post, March 2020
- …and incorporate natural and plant-based ingredients
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- Figure 21: “Natural cleaning products are just as effective as traditional chemical cleaners” (% any agree), by age, April 2020
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- Figure 22: Eco-Max tea tree disinfecting toilet bowl cleaner (Canada), December 2019
- Figure 23: Jayeonpong Safe Dishwashing Liquid with Germinated Brown Rice (South Korea), May 2020
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- Figure 24: NBD. Yuzu & Orange Flower Multi-Purpose Cleaner (US), June 2020
What’s Struggling?
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- Private-label and DIY products may cut into brand-name product sales
- Name-brand products will need to highlight their point of differentiation
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- Figure 25: Great Value Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner (US), April 2020
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- Figure 26: Lysol Continuous Action Toilet Bowl Cleaner Tablet (Canada), September 2019
- Figure 27: Lysol Brand New Day Mango & Hibiscus Scented Automatic Toilet Cleaner (US), August 2019
- Consumer interest in making cleaning recipes at home is a threat to cleaning product brands
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- Figure 28: 7 DIY CLEANERS | My Favorite Natural Cleaning Products!, June 2018
What’s Next?
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- Technological innovations are reducing the need for traditional ingredients
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- Figure 29: Indiegogo_silveray3_video v1, March 2020
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- Figure 30: Learn How to Make Hypochlorous Acid Disinfectant at Home, February 2020
- Convenient and time-saving products are gaining importance
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- Figure 31: Shine Bathroom: Automate Toilet Cleaning & Maintenance w/ Subtitles, October 2019
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- Figure 32: ReWear Dry Wash Spray (US), June 2020
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Cleaning responsibilities are not shared equally
- Sanitizing ability and scent are key features for Canadian cleaning products
- The time required to clean is the biggest barrier to cleaning
- Multi-surface products have wide appeal
- Natural ingredients and cleaners have broad appeal, particularly among parents and younger Canadians
Cleaning Task Responsibilities
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- Gender role inequalities persist in cleaning responsibilities
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- Figure 33: Share of cleaning responsibilities, by gender, April 2020
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- Figure 34: Share of cleaning product shopping responsibility, by gender, April 2020
- Traditional gender roles persist among older Canadians
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- Figure 35: Share of cleaning responsibilities, by age and gender, April 2020
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- Figure 36: Share of cleaning product shopping responsibility, by age and gender, April 2020
- Moms feel like they are carrying the cleaning burden alone
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- Figure 37: Share of cleaning responsibilities, by parental status, April 2020
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- Figure 38: Share of cleaning responsibilities, moms vs dads, April 2020
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- Figure 39: Share of cleaning product shopping responsibility, moms vs dads, April 2020
- Cleaning tasks are more likely to be shared among higher-income households
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- Figure 40: Share of cleaning responsibilities, by household income, April 2020
Cleaning Motivators
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- Sanitizing germs is the biggest motivator
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- Figure 41: Cleaning motivators, April 2020
- Social pressures drive Canadians to clean
- Scent is a very strong stimulus to clean
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- Figure 42: Swiffer Heavy Duty Pet Dry Sweeping Cloths with Febreze Odor Defense (US), May 2020
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- Figure 43: Febreze Carpet Cleaning Formula with Oxy Action and Original Grain Scent (US), May 2020
- Figure 44: Method All-Purpose cleaner Variety pack (US), May 2020
- Some Canadians clean as a form of leisure
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- Figure 45: Cleaning motivator: “I enjoy cleaning”, by age, April 2020
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- Figure 46: Namastay Organized Instagram post, May 2020
- Figure 47: Cleaning motivator: “Having extra time”, by age, April 2020
Cleaning Barriers
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- Time required to clean is the biggest barrier to cleaning
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- Figure 48: Barriers to more frequent cleaning, April 2020
- Men and women share most barriers to cleaning, with time being a glaring exception
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- Figure 49: Barriers to more frequent cleaning, by gender, April 2020
- Younger Canadians are limited by time, while older Canadians perceive fewer barriers to cleaning
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- Figure 50: Barriers to more frequent cleaning, by age, April 2020
- Time is a larger barrier for Chinese Canadians
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- Figure 51: “Cleaning is too time-consuming to clean more frequently”, Chinese Canadians* vs overall, April 2020
- Busy parents are struggling to find time to clean
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- Figure 52: “Cleaning is too time-consuming to clean more frequently”, by age of children, April 2020
- Ingredient concerns are a barrier for frequent cleaning
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- Figure 53: Ever Spring Free & Clear Fabric Softener (US), June 2020
- Bacteria overkill is not a significant concern – especially in the midst of COVID-19
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- Figure 54: Aunt Fannie's Microcosmic Soft Mint Probiotic Power Cleaning Wipes (US), March 2020
Purchase Factors
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- Sanitizing ability and scent are key features for Canadian cleaning products
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- Figure 55: Purchase factors, April 2020
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- Figure 56: Purchase factors, by gender, April 2020
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- Figure 57: Purchase factor – scent, by region, April 2020
- Natural ingredients and cleaners have broad appeal, particularly among parents and younger Canadians
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- Figure 58: Purchase factors (select), by parental status, April 2020
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- Figure 59: Agreement with “I prefer to use natural cleaning products”, by age, April 2020
- Germ-fighting formulations have the greatest reach
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- Figure 60: TURF analysis – preferred cleaning product attributes, April 2020
Attitudes towards Cleaning
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- Waiting until a home is messy is linked to feelings that cleaning is too time-consuming
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- Figure 61: World’s First Self-Cleaning Hoodie for the homeless | Unhoused.org, November 2019
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- Figure 62: Microban citrus scent 24 hour disinfectant bathroom cleaner (Canada), May 2020
- Multi-surface products have wide appeal
- Innovations could reduce hygiene concerns linked to reusable cleaning tools
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- Figure 63: Better Sponge Commercial As Seen On TV, October 2017
Cleaner Consumer Segmentation
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- Canadians vary considerably in how they perceive housecleaning chores
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- Figure 64: Cleaner consumer segments, April 2020
- Casual Cleaners (18%)
- Who are they?
- How to reach them?
- Environmental Apathetics (19%)
- Who are they?
- How to reach them?
- Green Cleaners (21%)
- Who are they?
- How to reach them?
- Disinterested Dusters (23%)
- Who are they?
- How to reach them?
- Mainstream Maintainers (19%)
- Who are they?
- How to reach them?
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations
- TURF Methodology
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