Table of Contents
Overview
-
- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
-
- Market on an upward curve, but growth slowing
-
- Figure 1: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, 2011-21
- Fabric conditioners and wash treatments growing
-
- Figure 2: Breakdown of UK retail value sales of fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, 2015
- Conditioner and softeners dominate NPD year on year
-
- Figure 3: New product launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries category*, % by sub-category, January 2013-August 2016
- Fabric conditioners seen as vital part of laundry regime
-
- Figure 4: Frequency of fabric care and other washing ancillary product usage in the last six months, August 2016
- Sensitivity is an open goal
-
- Figure 5: Attitudes towards fabric care, August 2016
- On-pack communication vital
-
- Figure 6: Fabric care product buying behaviours, August 2016
- Still an opportunity for added value through function
-
- Figure 7: Interest in product features for fabric conditioners, August 2016
- Many consumers potentially open to fragrance change
-
- Figure 8: Repertoire of favoured fragrances, August 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- Maintaining NPD momentum
- The facts
- The implications
- Using packaging to engage younger groups
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Growth slows but remains on an upward curve
- Fabric conditioner and wash treatments maintain growth
- Grocery multiples remain dominant
- Population set to increase wash loads
- Shifts in laundry habits have knock-on effect
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Growth slows but remains on an upward curve
-
- Figure 9: UK retail value sales for fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
- Market expected to continue growing
-
- Figure 10: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, 2011-21
- The impact of the EU referendum vote
-
- Figure 11: Alternative market scenarios for the post-Brexit fabric care and other washing ancillary products, at current prices, 2016-21
- Figure 12: Detailed post-Brexit scenarios for the fabric care and other washing ancillaries market, at current prices, 2016-21
- Fabric conditioner sales unaffected by last recession
- Focus on maintaining clothes may keep fabric care sales buoyant
Segment Performance
-
- Non-essential nature of category may boost value sales
-
- Figure 13: Breakdown of UK retail value sales of fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, by segment, 2014-16
- Product launches assist sales growth in fabric conditioners
-
- Figure 14: UK retail value sales of fabric conditioners, by type, 2014-16
- Consumers aware of bacteria build-up
-
- Figure 15: UK retail value sales of wash treatment products, by type, 2014-16
- Compensating for lower detergent efficacy with stain removers
- Ironing enhancers segment continues to decline
-
- Figure 16: UK retail value sales of ironing enhancer products, by type, 2014-16
Channels to Market
-
- Grocery multiples remain dominant
-
- Figure 17: UK retail value sales of fabric care and other washing ancillary products*, by outlet type, 2014-16
- Discounter stores increasing in number
-
- Figure 18: Outlet numbers for selected discounter stores, 2011/12-2015/16
- Latest Amazon initiatives likely to increase ‘other’ share of category sales
Market Drivers
-
- Population set to increase wash loads
-
- Figure 19: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2011-21
- Number of large households predicted to rise
-
- Figure 20: UK households, by size, 2011-21
- Economy improving but Brexit causes some uncertainty
-
- Figure 21: Trends in consumer sentiment for the coming year, January 2009-September 2016
- Two-in-one laundry detergents challenge fabric conditioners
- Laundry habits influence fabric care use
-
- Figure 22: Behaviours towards doing the laundry, August 2016
- Changes in washing machines
- Exercise and specialist clothing means a need for specialist care
- Advances in online shopping could cause shift in shopping channels
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
-
- Comfort increases market share in fabric conditioners segment
- Vanish remains dominant in wash treatments
- True innovation rises due to focus on fabric conditioner fragrance
- Advertising spend increases in line with sales
Market Share
-
- Comfort increases market share in fabric conditioners segment
-
- Figure 23: Brand shares in fabric conditioners and tumble dryer enhancers, years ending August 2015 and 2016
- Lenor Unstoppables unable to prevent Lenor fabric conditioners slide
- Fairy and Ecover appeal to target markets
- Own-label fabric conditioners lose share in wake of brand launches
- Vanish remains dominant in wash treatments segment
-
- Figure 24: Brand shares in wash treatments*, years ending August 2015 and 2016
- Advertising and laundry habits impact upon Dettol growth
- Own-label ironing enhancers increase share as brands falter
-
- Figure 25: Brand shares in ironing enhancers*, years ending August 2015 and 2016
Launch Activity and Innovation
-
- Conditioner and softeners dominate NPD year on year
-
- Figure 26: New product launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, % by sub-category, January 2013-August 2016
-
- Figure 27: Examples of new launches in the bleach and fabric brighteners sub-category, 2015
- Own-labels struggle
-
- Figure 28: New product launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, own-label vs branded, January 2012-August 2016
-
- Figure 29: Examples of fragranced own-label launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, 2015
- A fragmented market
-
- Figure 30: New product launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, by ultimate company, 2015
- True innovation on the rise
-
- Figure 31: New product launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, by launch type, January 2012-August 2016
- Figure 32: New stain/spot removal product launches, 2015
- AISE certification boosts environmentally friendly product claim
-
- Figure 33: Leading claims in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, by top claims for 2015, 2014 and 2015
- Odour-neutralising and antibacterial formulae benefit from interest in non-bio detergents
-
- Figure 34: New odour-neutralising/antibacterial product launches, 2015
- Floral fragrances still most popular
-
- Figure 35: Leading fragrances in the air care products category, based on top fragrance component groups, January 2015-August 2016
- Figure 36: New product launches featuring floral fragrances, 2015-16
-
- Figure 37: Limited edition fabric conditioner launches, 2015-16
Advertising and Marketing Activity
-
- Advertising spend increases in line with sales
-
- Figure 38: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on fabric care products*, 2011-15
-
- Figure 39: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on fabric care products*, by sub-category, January 2013-August 2016
- RB continues Vanish and Dettol investment
-
- Figure 40: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on fabric care products*, by advertiser, January 2013-August 2016
- Lenor renews focus on core range in 2016
- Comfort Intense takes precedence over Creations
- Visual elements promote TV advertising
-
- Figure 41: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on fabric care products*, by media type, January 2013-August 2016
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- Women remain responsible for purchasing
- Fabric conditioners seen as vital part of laundry regime
- Sensitivity is key to consumers
- Expense of additional products may prove to be a barrier
- Scope for development of functional attributes
- Many consumers may be open to fragrance experimentation
Buying Responsibility and Product Usage
-
- Women most responsible for buying fabric care products
-
- Figure 42: Fabric care buying responsibility, by gender, August 2016
- Fabric conditioners seen as vital part of laundry regime
-
- Figure 43: Frequency of usage of fabric care and other washing ancillary products in the last six months, August 2016
- Men more likely to use fragrance-related products…
-
- Figure 44: Any usage of fabric care and other washing ancillary products, by gender, August 2016
- …while women more likely to take care of stains
- Still a need to highlight product benefits
-
- Figure 45: Repertoire of fabric care and other washing ancillary products used, August 2016
Attitudes towards Fabric Care
-
- Sensitivity is an open goal
-
- Figure 46: Attitudes towards fabric care, August 2016
- In-wash scent boosts appeal to limited audience
- Brand more important in stain removers than fabric conditioners
- Still some doubt over best way to attack stains
-
- Figure 47: Attitudes towards stains (“agree” responses only), by age, August 2016
Fabric Care Buying Behaviours
-
- Special offers create bulk buys
-
- Figure 48: Fabric care buying behaviours, August 2016
- Adding value is vital
- A third interested in attractive packaging
- Advertising can target urban parents
-
- Figure 49: CHAID – Tree output for fabric care and other washing ancillaries, August 2016
-
- Figure 50: CHAID – Table output for fabric care and other washing ancillaries, August 2016
Interest in Product Features for Fabric Conditioners
-
- Still opportunity for added value through function
-
- Figure 51: Interest in product features for fabric conditioners, August 2016
- Ultra-concentrates and antibacterial properties already bearing fruit
- Protection for clothes holds appeal
-
- Figure 52: Interest in ‘protective’ product features for fabric conditioners, August 2016
- Catering for functional clothing
-
- Figure 53: Interest in fabric conditioners for specific clothing types, August 2016
- Interest in longer-lasting fragrances
-
- Figure 54: Interest in fragrance features for fabric conditioners, August 2016
Fabric Care Fragrance Preferences
-
- Fragrance is key
-
- Figure 55: Fabric care fragrance preferences, August 2016
- Many consumers potentially open to change
-
- Figure 56: Repertoire of fabric care fragrance preferences, August 2016
- Fragrance could be used to widen repertoire of products used
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
-
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID methodology
- Forecast methodology
Appendix – The Market
-
-
- Figure 57: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of fabric conditioners, 2011-21
- Figure 58: UK retail value sales of fabric conditioners, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
- Figure 59: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of wash treatments, 2011-21
- Figure 60: UK retail value sales of wash treatments, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
-
- Figure 61: Best- and worst-case forecast of UK value sales of ironing enhancers, 2011-21
- Figure 62: UK retail value sales of ironing enhancers, at current and constant prices, 2011-21
-
Appendix – Companies and Brands
-
-
- Figure 63: New product launches in the fabric care and other washing ancillaries* category, own-label only, by launch type, 2015
-
Back to top