China Laundry and Fabric Care Market Report 2023
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
Report Summary
“To retain a place in consumers’ laundry routine among post-pandemic conservatism, laundry and fabric care products need to prioritise ease of use, strong effectiveness and value for money. Thinking from consumers’ perspective, addressing white spaces in benefits (eg odour removal for seniors’ clothing, indoor drying) and solving chaos among product fragrances could be the starting point to win consumers’ affinity in a competitive market.”
– Tina He, Research Analyst
Key issues covered in this Report
- Market overview and segment performance of China’s laundry and fabric care market.
- Competitive landscape of China’s laundry and fabric care market and analysis of market winners/disruptors.
- Product usage and user profile changes of winning product types from 2022-23.
- Preferred fragrance types by product.
- Mapping of ancillaries based on usage and purchasing interest.
- Separate washing among family members.
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Covered in this Report
- Subgroup definitions (by monthly household income):
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of retail value of laundry and fabric care market, China, 2018-28
- Companies and brands
- The consumer
- Among post-pandemic spending conservatism, only single-pouch capsules/pods and in-wash scent boosters gained usage increases
- Figure 2: Product usage, 2022 vs 2023
- Light fragrance with odour-neutralisation is a prominent preference for laundry and fabric care products
- Figure 3: Preferred fragrance types of products, 2023
- Laundry frustrations lie in thorough cleaning, form and colour protection
- Figure 4: Laundry frustrations, 2023
- Collar cleaner, colour brightener, washing machine cleaner and bleach are high-potential ancillaries
- Figure 5: Usage and purchasing interest of ancillaries, 2023
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- Figure 6: Mapping of ancillaries, by trial and repeat, 2023
- Separate washing is most common for babies’ and children’s clothing, and the idea is embraced by young consumers aged 18-29
- Figure 7: Separate washing in the household, 2023
- Consumers are balancing between trial aspirations and budgets
- Figure 8: Laundry behaviours and attitudes – New trial and spending change, 2023
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Coordinate fragrances among laundry products to facilitate diverse product usage
- Match fragrance types among the brand’s product portfolio
- Figure 9: Example of a brand offering different laundry and fabric care products with the same fragrances, China, 2023
- Grade fragrance strengths suiting diverse routines and demographics
- Address odour issues for seniors’ laundry with effective solutions
- Figure 10: Examples of social media discussions around ‘old person smell’, China, 2022 and 2023
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- Figure 11: Examples of laundry and bodycare products that remove ‘old person smell’ through eliminating nonenal, South Korea and Japan, 2023
- Laundry and fabric care products suiting indoor drying and rainy seasons call for attention
- Figure 12: Examples of laundry detergents suiting indoor drying, China, 2022
- Figure 13: Example of promoting anti-odour products during the rainy season, China, 2023
- Coordinate fragrances among laundry products to facilitate diverse product usage
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Market Size and Forecast
- Tepid market growth due to conservative spending
- Figure 14: Best- and worst-case forecast of retail value of laundry and fabric care market, China, 2018-28
- Tepid market growth due to conservative spending
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Market Factors
- Simplified laundry routine in the post-pandemic era
- Trials are willing but the budget is weak
- Ancillaries show resilience for their high functionality
- The rise of Douyin as an emerging online purchase channel
- Simplified laundry routine in the post-pandemic era
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Market Segmentation
- Laundry detergents and conditioners & softeners saw moderate growth
- Figure 15: Value sales of total laundry and fabric care market, by segment, China, 2018-23
- Figure 16: Growth rates of total laundry and fabric care market, by segment, China, 2019-23
- Laundry aids accelerated in 2023
- Laundry detergents and conditioners & softeners saw moderate growth
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Market Share
- Market players leading in format upgrades gained better performance
- Figure 17: Leading manufacturers’ share in value sales of laundry and fabric care market, China, 2021 and 2022
- The rise of Douyin empowered market disruptors like SukGarden
- Fierce competition posed pressure on the product innovation of long-standing domestic brands
- Market players leading in format upgrades gained better performance
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Marketing Activities
- Promote value for money of laundry capsules from concentration and multifunctionality
- Figure 18: Examples of promoting value for money of laundry capsules, China, 2023
- Shed light on laundry fragrances in relation to personal fragrances
- Figure 19: Example of a fragrance KOL promoting scented laundry products, China, 2023
- Figure 20: Example of comparing the fragrances of in-wash scent boosters and fragrances, China, 2023
- Normalise laundry sanitisation post-pandemic
- Figure 21: Example of promoting laundry sanitisation post-pandemic, China, 2022 and 2023
- Promote value for money of laundry capsules from concentration and multifunctionality
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New Product Trends
- Hand detergents fulfil Chinese consumers’ habits, and gaps exist in fabric fresheners and stain removal products
- Figure 22: New product launches in laundry and fabric care market, by subcategory, China, Japan, South Korea, US and UK, 2023 (Jan-July)
- Hand detergents and conditioners & softeners saw moderate increases post-pandemic
- Figure 23: New product launches in laundry and fabric care market, by subcategory, China, 2019-23
- For liquid automatic detergents, odour-neutralising and pH-neutral are growing claims
- Figure 24: Top formats of new automatic detergent launches, China, 2019-23
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- Figure 25: Top claims of new automatic detergent launches in the liquid format, China, 2019-23
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- Figure 26: Examples of automatic liquid detergents with pH-neutral claim and with skin-caring ingredients, China, 2023
- Automatic detergents in the capsule format grew fast and advanced in benefits
- Figure 27: Top claims of new automatic detergent launches in the capsule format, China, 2019-23
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- Figure 28: Examples of new multi-pouch capsule launches, China, 2023
- Hand detergents prioritise natural formula, highlighting odour-neutralising function
- Figure 29: Top claims of new hand detergent/shampoo launches, China, 2019-23
- Conditioners & softeners kept up with antibacterial and odour-neutralising claims
- Figure 30: Top claims of new conditioner & softener launches, China, 2019-23
- Green fragrances gained overall popularity, while underwear detergents went unscented
- Figure 31: Top fragrance component groups of new laundry and fabric care launches, China, 2019-23
- Figure 32: Examples of new laundry and fabric care launches with green/herbal/woody fragrances, China, 2023
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- Figure 33: Example of an unscented hand detergent/shampoo product, China, 2023
- Odour-removal spray features delicate fragrances
- Figure 34: Example of a fabric spray product leveraging fragrance concepts to recruit audience, China, 2023
- Hand detergents fulfil Chinese consumers’ habits, and gaps exist in fabric fresheners and stain removal products
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Product Usage
- With overall stagnancy, only single-pouch capsules/pods and in-wash scent boosters gained growth from 2022-23
- Figure 35: Product usage, 2022 vs 2023
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- Figure 36: Repertoire analysis of product usage, 2022 vs 2023
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- Figure 37: Example of an in-wash scent booster product with fabric care benefits, 2022
- Capsule/pod users expanded to older consumers, low-income families and tier 1 and 2 city consumers
- Figure 38: User profile of single-pouch capsules/pods, 2022 vs 2023
- In-wash scent boosters recruited broader audiences with more affordable offerings
- Figure 39: User profile of in-wash scent boosters, 2022 vs 2023
- Figure 40: Percentage of in-wash scent booster sales volume, by price range per unit, 2022 vs 2023 (Jan-July)
- With overall stagnancy, only single-pouch capsules/pods and in-wash scent boosters gained growth from 2022-23
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Preferred Fragrance Types by Product
- Light fragrance is the dominant preference, while preferences for strong fragrance and no fragrance differ with product types
- Figure 41: Preferred fragrance types of products, 2023
- Males show a stronger preference for unscented products
- For general gel/liquid, soap bar and powder, younger consumers prefer scented while older consumers prefer non-scented
- Figure 42: Preferred fragrance types of select products, by age, 2023
- Users of in-wash scent boosters have stronger preferences for no or light fragrances of other laundry and fabric products
- Figure 43: Preferred fragrance types of select products, users vs non-users of in-wash scent boosters, 2023
- Light fragrance is the dominant preference, while preferences for strong fragrance and no fragrance differ with product types
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Laundry Frustrations
- Thorough cleaning is the major frustration, followed by fabric protection in both forms and colours
- Figure 44: Laundry frustrations, 2023
- Consumers aged 25-29 have the most laundry frustrations
- Figure 45: Laundry frustrations, by age, 2023
- Females concerned about wrinkling, and males worried about musty smells
- Children in the household bring concerns regarding safety and smells
- Figure 46: Laundry frustrations, by age of children in household, 2023
- Thorough cleaning is the major frustration, followed by fabric protection in both forms and colours
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Usage and Purchasing Interest of Ancillaries
- Collar cleaner and bleach are most popular ancillaries, and consumers show broad interest in ancillaries not tried before
- Figure 47: Usage and purchasing interest of ancillaries, 2023
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- Figure 48: Mapping of ancillaries, by trial and repeat, 2023
- Females and consumers with mid and high household income are avid adopters of ancillaries
- Figure 49: Usage and purchasing interest of ancillaries – Have used and will buy again, by monthly household income, 2023
- Collar cleaner and bleach are most popular ancillaries, and consumers show broad interest in ancillaries not tried before
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Separate Washing in the Household
- Separate washing is widely adopted, most common for babies and children
- Figure 50: Separate washing in the household, 2023
- Young consumers aged 18-29 are more open to the idea of separate washing
- Figure 51: Select separate washing in the household, by age, 2023
- Separate washing is widely adopted, most common for babies and children
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Laundry Behaviours and Attitudes
- High willingness to try new product types with limited budget
- Figure 52: Laundry behaviours and attitudes – new trial and spending change, 2023
- Long-lasting fragrance matters, and similar fragrances among different products are desired
- Figure 53: Laundry behaviours and attitudes – long-lasting fragrance, 2023
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- Figure 54: Laundry behaviours and attitudes – fragrance types, 2023
- Odour removal for seniors has received attention, especially among young consumers aged 25-29
- Figure 55: Laundry behaviours and attitudes – product differentiation for different family members, 2023
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- Figure 56: Laundry behaviours and attitudes – functional needs for seniors’ laundry, 2023
- High willingness to try new product types with limited budget
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Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 57: Total value sales and forecast of laundry and fabric care market, China, 2018-28
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Methodology
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