"In highly competitive, mature household care product categories, where sales increases must come at the expense of a competitor, packaging is as important as the product itself as a means of delivering value to consumers. Household care product packaging can do much more than just hold and dispense the product. Innovative packaging features can be a way for brands to set themselves apart."

"The mature household paper products market has experienced flat sales in recent years. Still, while consumers continue to take a value-driven approach to shopping for household paper products, they place importance on product quality and are interested in products that allow them to streamline and simplify tasks, as well as products that are environmentally friendly."

- Rebecca Cullen, Consumer Research Analyst

"Bolstered by improvement in the overall economy, sales of most types of major appliances stabilized after the end of the recession in 2009 and then started to gain ground in 2013 with further improvement in the housing and home renovation markets. Opportunities to help to accelerate sales further exist in catering to an increasingly wide array of lifestyle-related interests and needs and by promoting the increased efficiency that the newest generation of appliances provides."

- John Owen, Senior Household Analyst

"After struggling in recent years, the air care market posted stronger gains in 2015 reflected in growth across all segments. Opportunities exist to engage adults by expanding claims beyond scent, focusing on natural or environmentally friendly options as well as health and wellness benefits. A focus on innovative formats may also boost market growth by promoting additional usage occasions."

- Margie Nanninga, Home & Personal Care Analyst

"Things continue to look up for the residential flooring market, as a solid housing market and growing consumer confidence create conditions for increased spending on home renovations. The market has seen steady growth since 2011, but pent-up demand for home improvements remains and will help to drive growth going forward."

"Only in the past few years has the smart home market emerged onto solid footing following a variety of early product failures, such as $20,000 smart refrigerators that were soundly rejected by consumers. The shift to a more attractive product mix came when manufacturers not only brought down prices but also began to take consumer needs into greater consideration, rather than spending research and development budgets on products that did not solve a specific problem."

- Billy Hulkower, Senior Technology Analyst

"Practically every US home has dishwashing products. However, being such a universal product category means it can be difficult to drive growth. While dishwashing liquid has been able to increase sales in recent years through innovations such as scented formulas, dishwasher detergent has found it harder to differentiate and faces tougher price competition. In this Report, we discuss the macro trends impacting this sector and identify opportunities to increase consumer spending through product innovations such as eco-friendly formulas and all-in-one and antibacterial properties."

- Shannon Romanowski, Category Manager - Health, Household, Beauty & Personal Care

"Cleaning the house may not be something everyone looks forward to, but it remains an essential regular task, with consumers spending an average of more than four and a half hours on housecleaning every week. Understanding consumer attitudes and behaviors regarding cleaning the house is essential for companies marketing products and services in this important sector."

"The cookware market continues to experience slow growth, benefiting from continued consumer interest in cooking or baking at-home and a variety of innovative cookware features that simplify cooking and cleanup."

The lawn and garden products market is on the rise in an improving economy as more consumers engage in discretionary projects to improve their outdoor living space. In addition, consumers are viewing lawn and garden care as an enjoyable activity with benefits rather than a chore. While a stable and improving economy and housing market points to future market growth, consumers will continue to take a price-driven approach to shopping for lawn and garden products. Going forward, creative and affordable projects, safe and healthy products, and ergonomic garden designs that are suitable for any size living space may help continue growth and appeal to a range of consumers.

"Grill ownership is strong and positive sales are expected through 2021. Gas format grills are most popular in full-size units, whereas portable units are most popular in charcoal format. Consumer sentiment toward grills differs by generation, in which younger adults enjoy grilling to socialize while older adults grill to cook. Taste of grilled food is the biggest reason why most grill, which emphasizes the benefit of taste and flavor-centric marketing. As an outdoor item, grilling allows for a sensory experience and a chance to try new foods or flavors. For this reason, convenience and functionality are important characteristics for an enjoyable grilling experience."

- Stephen Brown, Research Analyst

"The patio and outdoor living market continues to steadily gain momentum parallel to the improving economy and housing market. While the majority of Americans have some form of outdoor space, living situation and household income determine what purchases and enhancements can be made. Further growth in the category hinges on appealing to key consumer groups, such as Millennials, Hispanics, and parents. Entertaining and expanding the comforts and conveniences of the indoors to the outdoors are important motivators for category purchases, which should be emphasized in marketing and in-store displays."

- Rebecca Cullen, Consumer Research Analyst

"Home laundry product sales have rebounded as innovation in the category resulted in new product offerings and increased consumer spending on higher-margin products. Key drivers for continued growth will focus on further innovation in the category surrounding compactness and scent, as well as a more personalized shopping experience for consumers."

-Stephen Brown, Research Analyst

"The pet supplies category continues its steady growth trajectory as Americans continue to spoil their pets, which are viewed as loyal family members rather than owned animals. Looking ahead, the category is expected to grow as the pet population ages, creating opportunities for products designed to address common issues that arise among older pets."

Macroeconomic indicators point to a healthy outlook for the DIY (do-it-yourself) market. Most adults have at least some DIY skills and complete home improvement projects on an occasional basis, though a skills gap continues to limit the project scope of many consumers and curbs participation in the category. In order to inspire and engage less-skilled DIYers, opportunities exist in the form of online courses and in-store classes. These programs can help improve DIY skills of consumers, while also broadening the scope and frequency of DIY projects.

"People are spending more on pest control than ever before. Although most spending is on pest control services, product sales for outdoor repellents are also rising. Warmer weather and concerns about mosquito-borne illnesses contribute to overall category spending; however, concerns about the safety of pest control products still linger, leading some consumers to opt for service providers."

- Stephen Brown, Household Analyst

"The market for household surface cleaners is mature, with a growth rate that is being outpaced by inflation. Convenience of multi-surface cleaning and antibacterial power are the leading attributes most consumers look for in surface cleaners, but secondary benefits such as scent, packaging, and natural ingredients are important among niche groups. These attributes represent opportunities for brands to distinguish and promote products, which will be central in driving future sales."

- Stephen Brown, Household Analyst

"Despite more than half of adults owning either a water filtration system or product, and nearly one third saying they avoid drinking tap water as much as possible, sales of the water filtration market are expected to decline by 1% in 2016."

"Sales of household cleaning equipment have experienced marginal growth due to inflation and price competition. Cleaning equipment used in lighter cleaning continues to be more frequently used, as spot cleaning gains wider acceptance as the norm in housecleaning. This shift coincides with a respective drop in cleaning equipment used in deep cleans, such as gloves and other durable equipment. As brands move to embrace these shifting attitudes, they may also consider highlighting the opportunities for refillable formats in lighter equipment, such as floor cleaners and dusters."

- Stephen Brown, Research Analyst

"After years of stable gains, small kitchen appliance sales remained relatively flat due in part to the struggling beverage making appliance segment. Going forward, product innovations that focus on design and function, as well as a stabilizing beverage maker segment, may help restore category growth."