Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Market overview
- Marginal sales growth of household cleaning equipment market outpaced by inflation
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of household cleaning equipment, at current prices, 2011-21
- The issues
- Lapsed usage of cleaning equipment for deep cleans leads to longer purchase cycles
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- Figure 2: Usage of equipment for deep cleaning, August 2016
- Decline in household size and family households impacts overall category spending
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- Figure 3: Any current use of cleaning equipment for deep cleans, by parental status, August 2016
- The opportunities
- Focus on young adults when promoting regularly used, refillable equipment
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- Figure 4: Any current use (net) of refillable cleaning equipment, by age, August 2016
- Young adults show interest in cleaning equipment with improved ease of use
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- Figure 5: Interest in and willingness to pay more for cleaning equipment with ease-of-use benefits, by age, August 2016
- Eco-friendly attributes of microfiber appeal to family households
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- Figure 6: Eco-friendly benefits of using microfiber cleaning equipment, by parental status, August 2016
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Sales of cleaning equipment keeping pace with inflation
- Cleaning tools, mops, and brooms drive sales, while glove sales decline
- Cleaning equipment competes with household surface cleaners
- Key demographics of heavy cleaning equipment users are in decline
Market Size and Forecast
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- Slow growth in cleaning equipment is expected to continue
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of household cleaning equipment, at current prices, 2011-21
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of household cleaning equipment, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2011-21
- Future growth is limited to innovation in convenient equipment
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of household cleaning equipment, at current prices, 2011-21
Market Breakdown
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- Cleaning tools/mops/brooms far outweigh sponges, pads, and gloves
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- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of household cleaning equipment, by segment, at current prices, 2011-21
- Sponges and scouring pads are threatened by disposable wipes
- Sales of gloves are falling as non-disposables lose share
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of household cleaning equipment, by segment, at current prices, 2014 and 2016
Market Perspective
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- Changing attitudes toward cleaning impact broader household category
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- Figure 12: Total US retail sales of household surface cleaners and cleaning equipment, at current prices, 2014 and 2016
- Usage of mops and brooms is dependent on flooring type
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- Figure 13: Select flooring recently purchased, by use of mops, 2016
- Dishwashers can limit the need for sponges and scouring pads
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- Figure 14: Dishwasher ownership, 2011-16
Market Factors
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- Declining homeownership may dampen sales for cleaning equipment
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- Figure 15: US homeownership rate, 2010-16
- Figure 16: Usage of select cleaning equipment, by primary residence, August 2016
- Household size shrinks while home floor space increases
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- Figure 17: Total share of family and non-family households, 2005-15
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- Figure 18: Average square feet for a new lot, by single-family homes and by multi-family units, 2005-15
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Continued leadership by Procter & Gamble, other companies climb rank
- Innovations in handling, texture, and hygienic features boost sales
- Sales decline for rubber gloves while private labels increase
- Equipment design improves, evolves, and blurs lines between surfaces
Manufacturer Sales of Cleaning Equipment
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- Figure 19: MULO sales of household cleaning equipment, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
- P&G leads market share with Swiffer brand
- Libman gains ground thanks to expanding retail availability
- Smaller brands drive competition in floor cleaner segment
- 3M dominates sponges segment through its Scotch Brite brand
- Bradshaw remains in third position thanks to Butler Home Products
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What’s Working?
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- Improved handling and texture boost cleaning tools, mops, and brooms
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- Figure 20: Libman Dish Wands commercial, February 2015
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- Figure 21: MULO sales of Freudenberg’s O Cedar Flip Mop and Microtwist Mop, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
- Libman sweeps ahead in cleaning power with its Nitty Gritty mop
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- Figure 22: MULO sales of The Libman Company’s Libman Nitty Gritty Mop, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
- Figure 23: Libman Nitty Gritty® Roller Mop, February 2015
- Competitive pricing of reusable floor cleaning equipment
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- Figure 24: Kmart advertisement for Libman mops and brooms, June 2015
- Spending on disposable gloves outweighs spending on reusables
- Refillable cleaning format gains share by providing hygienic cleaning
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- Figure 25: Clorox Toilet Wand TV Spot, “A Family of Five,” 2015
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- Figure 26: Target email advertisement featuring Clorox, March 2016
- Scouring sponge brands outperform standard sponges
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- Figure 27: MULO sales of Butler Home Products and Scrub Daddy, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
What’s Struggling?
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- Lower usage of equipment used for deep cleans as spot cleaning grows
- Lack of importance in brand name, cheaper refills boost private labels
What’s Next?
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- Cleaning design blurs the lines between surface applications
- Improved maneuverability for reduced strain among older consumers
- Microfiber designed for premium applications
- Evolving attitudes toward disinfection can impact cleaning equipment
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Reusable equipment most used, but refillables growing
- Ease of use is centrally important as purchase influencer
- Microfiber is convenient and offers additional secondary benefits
- The ritual of maintaining cleaning equipment differs by age
- Cleaning promotes healthy living, but users differ on storage
- Ease of use leads consumer interest in cleaning equipment innovation
Product Usage
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- Reusable formats are used more than refillables for regular cleaning
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- Figure 28: Usage of cleaning equipment, August 2016
- Family households face more cleaning demands, use more equipment
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- Figure 29: Any current use (net) of gloves and reusable floor mops, by parental status, August 2016
- Younger adults willing to try new products, use more refillables
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- Figure 30: Any current use (net) of refillable equipment, by age, by parental status, and by primary residence, August 2016
- Hispanics largely mirror usage tendencies of young adults
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- Figure 31: Any current use (net) of refillable equipment, by Hispanic origin, August 2016
Purchase Influencers
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- Equipment users seek products for ease of use, rather than disinfection
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- Figure 32: Purchase influencers of cleaning equipment – Any rank (net), August 2016
- Older adults give higher regard to maneuverability than other attributes
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- Figure 33: Ease-of-use as purchase influencers of cleaning equipment – Any rank, by age, August 2016
- Hispanics and family households emphasize antibacterial equipment
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- Figure 34: Antibacterial as purchase influencer of cleaning equipment – Any rank, by Hispanic origin, August 2016
Reasons for Using Microfiber
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- Convenience, reusability add to appeal of microfiber cleaning equipment
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- Figure 35: Benefits of microfiber cleaning equipment, August 2016
- Parents, large households place importance on secondary benefits
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- Figure 36: Eco-friendly benefits of microfiber cleaning equipment, by parental status, August 2016
- Hispanics see more options for natural cleaning in microfiber
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- Figure 37: Natural cleaning benefits of microfiber cleaning equipment, by Hispanic origin, August 2016
Housecleaning Behavior
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- Disinfection and effective cleaning are key for cleaning equipment users
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- Figure 38: Select behaviors toward housecleaning and cleaning equipment, August 2016
- Cleaning with health and aging in mind focuses on older adults
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- Figure 39: Behaviors related to washing hands after using equipment and difficulty cleaning, by age, August 2016
- Post-use rituals differ between ages and cleaning equipment type
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- Figure 40: Hand washing and equipment rinsing behaviors, by age, August 2016
- Hispanics’ housecleaning behavior similar to that of young adults
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- Figure 41: Disinfection behaviors toward housecleaning and cleaning equipment, by Hispanic origin, August 2016
Attitudes toward Cleaning and Equipment
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- Most agree cleaning improves health, but differ on equipment storage
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- Figure 42: Attitudes toward cleaning and equipment – Any agree, August 2016
- Parents and Hispanics have multi-pronged approach to germ prevention
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- Figure 43: Attitudes related to health, easy access, and eco-friendliness – Any agree, by Hispanic origin and by parental status, August 2016
- Connection between cleaning and health is stronger with oldest and youngest consumers
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- Figure 44: Health-related attitudes toward cleaning and equipment – Any agree, by age, August 2016
Attitudes toward Cleaning Equipment Innovation
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- Reach and maneuverability are leading areas of opportunity
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- Figure 45: Attitudes toward household cleaning equipment, August 2016
- Heavier users are willing to pay more for time-, labor-saving innovations
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- Figure 46: Interest in antibacterial and non-chemical cleaning equipment – Any interest, by Hispanic origin, by parental status, and by household size, August 2016
- Cleaning solutions derived from technology appeal to younger adults
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- Figure 47: Interest in self-cleaning and automated cleaning equipment – Any interest, by age, August 2016
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 48: Total US retail sales of household cleaning equipment, by segment, at current prices, 2014 and 2016
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales of household cleaning equipment, by channel, at current prices, 2011-16
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales of household cleaning equipment, by channel, at current prices, 2014 and 2016
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 51: MULO sales of cleaning tools/mops/brooms, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
- Figure 52: MULO sales of sponges and scouring pads, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
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- Figure 53: MULO sales of gloves, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52-weeks 2015 and 2016
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