Sales of laundry detergents and fabric care products are estimated to be worth £1.63 billion in 2015, with spending in 2014/15 having been boosted by strong innovation in the fabric conditioners and wash treatment segments of the market, encouraging trading up and the purchasing of ancillary products for doing the laundry.

Brands and retailers are tapping into consumer interest in fragrance and a desire for longer-lasting freshening of laundry with the launch of more premium scents and new fragrance technology, as well as encouraging additional purchases of in-wash scent boosters. At the same time, the market is seeing a move towards increased concentration in product formulations meaning smaller doses per wash load.

The report examines the retail market for the following home laundry products:

• Main wash laundry detergents offered to the consumer in a range of product formats, including: powders, liquids, gels, tablets and capsules/liquid tablets. This includes standard and concentrated, biological, non-biological, two-in-one and ‘colour’ products.

• Special wash detergents, which includes detergents for hand washing and delicate fabrics.

• Rinse conditioners used in addition to laundry detergents in order to soften, freshen and/or make drying and ironing easier, and available as standard and concentrated liquids.

• Tumble dry enhancers offered as fragrance-impregnated sheets that are designed for use in tumble dryers (eg Lenor Tumble Dryer Sheets, which were formerly Bounce).

• Stain removers that take away stains and include both pre-wash and in-wash products in powder, liquid, gel, tablet and spray format (eg Vanish).

• Whiteners and colour care products used with laundry detergents for helping to maintain the brightness of colours and whiteness of whites without bleaching.

• Ironing aids that include products for ironing such as fragranced ironing waters and starch liquids or sprays.

Clothes-washing detergents sold in launderettes are excluded from the market size of this report.