Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Modest pace of growth expected to continue
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of household surface cleaners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Ease-of-use, versatility nearly as important as cleaning power
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- Figure 2: Surface cleaner attribute importance, September 2015
- Many see disposable wipes as best suited for quick cleanups
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- Figure 3: Surface cleaner behaviors and beliefs, September 2015
- The opportunities
- Longer duration of clean holds near-universal appeal
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- Figure 4: Interest in surface cleaner features and benefits, willing to pay more for, by household size, September 2015
- An opportunity for products highlighting natural ingredients
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- Figure 5: Surface cleaner behaviors and beliefs, by age, September 2015
- Young adults more focused on convenience
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- Figure 6: Household care attitudes, agree strongly, by age, September 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Modest pace of growth expected to continue
- Three large segments account for bulk of sales
- Spray disinfectants drive specialized cleaner segment growth
- Disposable wipes drive growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Modest pace of growth expected to continue
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of household surface cleaners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of household surface cleaners, at current prices, 2010-20
Market Breakdown
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- Three large segments account for bulk of sales
- Spray disinfectants drive specialized cleaner segment growth
- Top brands drive toilet cleaner sales
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- Figure 9: Total US market share of household surface cleaners, by segment, 2015
- Disposable wipes drive growth
- Sales slide for floor cleaners and furniture polish
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales of household surface cleaners, by segment, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
Market Factors
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- Household income stabilizes but remains weak
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- Figure 11: Median household income, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2004-14
- Rising consumer confidence could help market
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- Figure 12: University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment, 2010-15
- Households with kids decline as a percentage of all households
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- Figure 13: Households, by presence of children, 2003-13
- Growing influence of Hispanic market
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- Figure 14: Households with own children, by race and Hispanic origin of householder, 2013
- Figure 15: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2010-20
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- The strong get stronger: Clorox and Reckitt gain on top products
- Disposable wipes capitalize on quick, light-duty cleanups
- Windex gains with renewed focus on core benefit: Shiny clean glass
- Sophomore slump: Promising new products can fade in year two or three
Manufacturer Sales of Household Surface Cleaners
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- The strong get stronger: Clorox and Reckitt gain on top products
- SC Johnson and P&G lose share
- Manufacturer sales of household surface cleaners
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- Figure 16: MULO sales of household surface cleaners, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
What’s Working?
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- Disposable wipes capitalize on quick, light-duty cleanups
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- Figure 17: MULO sales of leading disposable wipes, 2010-15
- Wipes brands extend to tougher cleaning jobs
- Windex gains with renewed focus on core benefit: shiny clean glass
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- Figure 18: Windex, “Official Message” TV spot, 2015
- Figure 19: MULO sales of select Windex products, 2010-15
- Lysol grows sales as a multipurpose disinfectant
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- Figure 20: MULO sales of select Lysol disinfectant spray, 2010-15
What’s Struggling?
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- Sophomore slump: Promising new products can fade in year two or three
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- Figure 21: MULO sales of select push-and-wipe surface cleaners, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Swiffer WetJet sales slide amid intensified competition
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- Figure 22: MULO sales of select floor cleaners, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
What’s Next?
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- Extending time between cleanings
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Disposable wipes gain usage while labor-intensive products decline
- Younger adults gravitate to quick-cleanup products
- Gender gap narrowing for housecleaning and purchasing of cleaning products
- Ease-of-use, versatility nearly as important as cleaning power
- Many see disposable wipes as best suited for quick cleanups
- Longer duration of clean holds near-universal appeal
Usage of Surface Cleaners
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- Disposable wipes continue to gain usage
- Usage declines for products associated with labor-intensive cleaning
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- Figure 23: Household usage of surface cleaners, 2010-15
- Younger adults gravitate to quick cleanup products
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- Figure 24: Household usage of select surface cleaners, by age, April 2015
- Black consumers more likely to use a variety of surface cleaners
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- Figure 25: Household usage of select surface cleaners, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2015
Responsibility for Cleaning and Purchasing of Cleaning Products
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- Gender gap narrowing for housecleaning and purchasing of cleaning products
- In their words: Shared responsibility
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- Figure 26: Responsibility for doing housecleaning, by gender and age, September 2015
- Figure 27: Responsibility for purchasing cleaning products, by gender and age, September 2015
Surface Cleaner Attribute Importance
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- Ease-of-use, versatility nearly as important as cleaning power
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- Figure 28: Surface cleaner attribute importance, September 2015
- Safety around kids/pets a key attribute in larger households
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- Figure 29: Surface cleaner attribute importance, by household size, September 2015
Surface Cleaner Behaviors and Beliefs
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- Many see disposable wipes as best suited for quick cleanups
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- Figure 30: Surface cleaner behaviors and beliefs, September 2015
- In their words: Wipes good for in-between cleanings
- Older consumers remain engaged in cleaning and cleaning products
- An opportunity for products highlighting natural ingredients
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- Figure 31: Surface cleaner behaviors and beliefs, by age, September 2015
Interest in Surface Cleaner Features and Benefits
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- Longer duration of clean holds near-universal appeal
- Other cleaning concepts may require more consumer education
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- Figure 32: Interest in surface cleaner features and benefits, September 2015
- Young adults express interest in new product forms
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- Figure 33: Interest in surface cleaner features and benefits, willing to pay more for, by age, September 2015
- Protection, prevention most appealing to larger households
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- Figure 34: Interest in surface cleaner features and benefits, willing to pay more for, by household size, September 2015
Correspondence Analysis – Brand Attributes
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- Methodology
- Opportunities to leverage brand strengths, address weaknesses
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- Figure 35: Correspondence analysis – Surface cleaner brand attributes, September 2015
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- Figure 36: Surface cleaner brand attributes, September 2015
Household Care Attitudes
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- A clean home is a healthy home
- Young adults more focused on convenience
- Among young adults, opportunities and challenges for green cleaners
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- Figure 37: Household care attitudes, agree strongly, by age, September 2015
- Emotional components of housecleaning strong for Black, Hispanic consumers
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- Figure 38: Household care attitudes, agree strongly, by race and Hispanic origin, September 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 39: Total US retail sales and forecast of household surface cleaners, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
- Segment performance
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- Figure 40: Total US retail sales of household surface cleaners, by segment, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
- Figure 41: Total US retail sales and forecast of toilet/tub/tile cleaners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 42: Total US retail sales and forecast of all-purpose cleaners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 43: Total US retail sales and forecast of specialized cleaners, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 44: Total US retail sales and forecast of cleaning cloths/wipes, at current prices, 2010-20
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- Figure 45: Total US retail sales and forecast of floor cleaners/wax removers, at current prices, 2010-20
- Retail channels
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- Figure 46: Total US retail sales of household surface cleaners, by channel, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
- Figure 47: US supermarket sales of household surface cleaners, at current prices, 2010-15
- Figure 48: US sales of household surface cleaners through drug stores, at current prices, 2010-15
- Figure 49: US sales of household surface cleaners through other retail channels, at current prices, 2010-15
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 50: MULO sales of all-purpose cleaners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Figure 51: MULO sales of toilet/tub/tile cleaners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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- Figure 52: MULO sales of specialized cleaners, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Figure 53: MULO sales of cleaning cloths/wipes, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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- Figure 54: MULO sales of floor cleaners/wax removers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Figure 55: MULO sales of furniture polish, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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- Figure 56: MULO sales of leading eco-friendly household surface cleaners, 2010-15
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Appendix – Consumer
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- Figure 57: Household usage of surface cleaners I, by demographics, April 2014-June 2015
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- Figure 58: Household usage of surface cleaners II, by demographics, April 2014-June 2015
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- Figure 59: Frequency of use of household surface cleaners, by demographics, April 2014-June 2015
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