Laundry products are a staple in US homes, and during the era of COVID-19, hygiene and cleanliness are more critical than ever. While panic-driven buying has led to temporary sales increases, and a focus on hygiene may potentially lead some consumers to do laundry more often, it seems likely that the sector will return to its established pattern of slow growth going forward. However, individual brands could potentially target these hygiene trends and grab additional market share by adapting to emerging consumer needs.

• The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and the home laundry sector

• Overall sector sales trends, including forecasts through 2025

• Sales by category and by brand

• Consumer laundry routines and product preferences

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel considers home laundry products to include the following:

• Clothes-washing detergents (also includes fine-washable detergents)

• Liquid fabric softeners

• Fabric softener sheets (also includes dryer bars)

• Laundry care products (solid-form in-wash scent boosters, laundry starch, static control/fabric protectors)

• Bleach (SHC [sodium hypochlorite] and color-safe)

Consumer research for this Report was fielded in July 2020 and reflects consumer attitudes and behavior when businesses around much of the country were reopened and consumers were able to move about fairly freely, although travel between states had some restrictions. This Report was written from September-October 2020, when some states began reinstituting restrictions due to increases in COVID-19 infection levels.

The market forecast was created by analyzing projected trends in consumer spending on home laundry products based on historical trends as well as projected expectations of the near term and future economic recession. We also took into consideration changes in behavior caused by the pandemic.