- Contents
- *Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: Market context
- Economic and other assumptions
What you need to know
Canadians appreciate the sustainability and safety assurances of natural brands, though even staunch environmentalists have put these priorities on the backburner as they opt for products that can help their homes stay free of COVID-19 (namely harsh disinfectants). Once the pandemic wanes, Canadians will once again seek out brands that they perceive to be good for the environment and their families. Despite the economic downturn, many shoppers will continue to see the benefits of using natural brands and will continue to recognize their value.
Key issues covered in this Report
The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behaviour and the natural household product market
How an economic slowdown will impact the natural household product market
Market factors impacting the natural household care product market
Consumer behaviours and attitudes relating to the natural household care product market.
Definition
This Report focuses on how environmental considerations influence the usage and purchase of household care products, which include:
Fabric/laundry care
Dishwashing products
Hard surface care
Air care
Bathroom cleaner
Household paper products (toilet tissue, paper towels, facial tissues).
The terms “environmentally friendly,” “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “natural” are used interchangeably to denote products that are designed to be less harmful for the environment.
This Report also makes reference to “mainstream or traditional cleaning products,” which are defined as those that do not claim to be eco-friendly.
COVID-19: Market context
This report was written in September – October, 2020. Consumer research was conducted in July 2020 and reflects consumer attitudes during the pandemic period.
At the time of writing, the number of confirmed cases in Canada had reached 211,732 as of October 24th.
Economic and other assumptions
The subsequent analysis is driven by our analysts’ understanding of consumer behaviour in this market, alongside an evaluation of how exposed this sector is to the crisis, and how quickly demand will return to previous levels once a degree of normality returns to the market. Our economic assumptions are based on the updated global forecasts released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in June 2020. The IMF expects Canadian gross domestic product (GDP) to fall by 8.4% in 2020, recovering by 4.9% in 2021. Its April forecast predicted unemployment to rise sharply in Q2 2020, before recovering slightly to 7.5% by the end of the year, and to 7.2% by the end of 2021.
