The Laundry Consumer - UK - November 2012

INTRODUCTION
Definition
Abbreviations
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Responsibilities for doing the laundry
Women still taking main responsibility for laundry
Figure 1: Responsibility for loading and putting on the washing machine, by gender, September 2012
Frequency of doing the laundry
2-3 wash loads a week most common
Figure 2: Frequency of doing laundry tasks at home, September 2012
Attitudes towards doing the laundry
Sense of satisfaction from doing the laundry
Figure 3: Agreement with statements on approach taken to doing the laundry, September 2012
Little attention paid to washing instructions
Figure 4: Attention paid to washing instructions when washing clothes, September 2012
Clothes washing patterns
Most people keep whites and dark colours separate
Figure 5: Agreement with statements on washing clothes, September 2012
Clothes drying patterns
Outside drying preferred
Figure 6: Agreement with statements on drying laundry, September 2012
Ironing habits and attitudes
Focus on ironing noticeably creased items
Figure 7: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing, September 2012
What we think
ISSUES IN THE MARKET
What value is there in laundry brands targeting men?
Can focusing on consumer satisfaction help increase laundry sales?
How are changing washing patterns transforming the market?
Do mixed or small wash loads represent a market opportunity?
What can laundry brands do to improve drying and ironing?
TREND APPLICATION
Trend: Home of the Senses
Trend: Perfecting the Details
2015 Trend: Brand Intervention
MARKET DRIVERS
Key points
Vast majority own a washing machine
Figure 8: Ownership of laundry appliances and irons, 2008-12
Fewer people willing to pay more to be green
Figure 9: Agreement with statements on the environment and recycling, 2008-12
Strong focus on reducing energy and water usage
Figure 10: Frequency of cutting down on use of gas/electricity and water at home, 2010-12
Fresh smelling clothes made to last
Figure 11: Attitudes towards clothing, 2008-12
More households means more people doing the laundry
Figure 12: UK households, by size, 2007-17
Figure 13: Household size, by all men, 2007-12
Ageing population but also more children
Figure 14: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2007-17
Working women lack time for laundry
Figure 15: Trends in working status, by gender, 2008-12
LAUNDRY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE HOME
Key points
Women take main responsibility for washing clothes
Figure 16: Responsibility for doing various laundry tasks in the home, by gender, September 2012
Figure 17: Male responsibility for loading and putting on the washing machine, by age, September 2012
Figure 18: Responsibility for loading and putting on the washing machine, by men and women who are married or living with a partner as married, September 2012
Similar patterns emerge for drying clothes
Figure 19: Male responsibility for hanging the washing to dry inside or outside, by age, September 2012
Men also less likely to do the ironing
Figure 20: Male responsibility for doing the ironing, by age, September 2012
Figure 21: Responsibility for doing the ironing, by men living alone and those who are married or living with a partner, September 2012
FREQUENCY OF DOING THE LAUNDRY
Key points
2-3 wash loads a week most common
Figure 22: Frequency of doing laundry tasks at home, September 2012
Figure 23: Heavy usage of the washing machine*, by age and presence of children in household, September 2012
Tumble dryers used less frequently
Figure 24: Heavy and light usage of tumble dryers, by age and socio-economic group, September 2012
Ironing done less often than washing
Figure 25: Heavy and light ironing, by household size, September 2012
ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOING THE LAUNDRY
Key points
Satisfaction in home laundering of clothes
Figure 26: Attitudes towards doing the laundry, September 2012
Figure 27: Agreement with statements ‘Getting the laundry done gives me a sense of satisfaction’ and ‘Laundry is a chore that I put little effort into’, by age, September 2012
More wash loads means more time and care taken
Figure 28: Approach to doing laundry, by frequency of loading and putting on the washing machine, September 2012
Few paying close attention to washing instructions
Figure 29: Ways in which people wash special care clothes, by frequency of loading and putting on the washing machine, September 2012
Low incidence of visiting dry cleaners
CLOTHES WASHING PATTERNS
Key points
Majority keep their whites and dark colours separate
Figure 30: Agreement with statements on washing clothes, September 2012
Figure 31: Agreement with statement: ‘I run mixed wash loads of pale colours/whites and dark colours’, by household size, September 2012
Economy washes the answer for some smaller wash loads
Figure 32: Agreement with statement ‘I use an economy wash or half load programme for smaller wash loads’, by frequency of loading and putting on the washing machine, September 2012
More being encouraged to wash on short cycles
Gradual shift occurring towards low-temperature washing
Figure 33: Agreement with statement: ‘I use low temperatures (ie 30 degrees or less) for most of my washing’, by age group, September 2012
Older bias to usage of ancillary products
CLOTHES DRYING PATTERNS
Key points
Strong preference for drying outside
Figure 34: Agreement with statements on drying laundry, September 2012
Figure 35: Agreement with statements about drying laundry either outside or indoors, by age group, September 2012
Reluctance to use tumble dryers
Figure 36: Agreement with statements on use of tumble dryers, by age group, September 2012
IRONING HABITS AND ATTITUDES
Key points
Very few people iron everything
Figure 37: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing, September 2012
Figure 38: Ironing habits, by age group, September 2012
Few people buying ironing aids
Ironing more of a chore than a pleasure
Figure 39: Attitudes towards doing the ironing, by age group, September 2012
TARGET GROUPS
Key points
Figure 40: Target groups for laundry habits, September 2012
Results Focused (13%)
Throw It All In (17%)
Satisfied Launderers (18%)
Careful Washers (13%)
Apathetic (39%)
APPENDIX – MARKET DRIVERS
Figure 41: Ownership of laundry appliances and irons, by demographics, 2012
Figure 42: Agreement with statements on the environment and recycling, by demographics, 2012
Figure 43: Attitudes towards clothing, by demographics, 2012
APPENDIX – LAUNDRY RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE HOME
Figure 44: Responsibilities for different laundry tasks, September 2012
Figure 45: Responsibilities of men for different laundry tasks, September 2012
Figure 46: Responsibilities of women for different laundry tasks, September 2012
Figure 47: Responsibilities for different laundry tasks, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 48: Responsibilities for loading and putting on the washing machine, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 49: Responsibilities for hanging the washing to dry inside or outside, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 50: Responsibilities for loading or unloading the tumble dryer, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 51: Responsibilities for doing the ironing, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 52: Responsibilities of men for different laundry tasks, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 53: Responsibilities of men for loading and putting on the washing machine, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 54: Responsibilities of men for hanging the washing to dry inside or outside, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 55: Responsibilities of men for loading or unloading the tumble dryer, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 56: Responsibilities of men for doing the ironing, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 57: Responsibilities of women for different laundry tasks, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 58: Responsibilities of women for loading and putting on the washing machine, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 59: Responsibilities of women for hanging the washing to dry inside or outside, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 60: Responsibilities of women for loading or unloading the tumble dryer, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 61: Responsibilities of women for doing the ironing, by demographics, September 2012
APPENDIX – FREQUENCY OF DOING THE LAUNDRY
Figure 62: Frequency of loading and starting the washing machine, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 63: Frequency of loading and unloading the tumble dryer, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 64: Frequency of ironing, by demographics, September 2012
APPENDIX – ATTITUDES TOWARDS DOING THE LAUNDRY
Figure 65: Attitudes towards doing the laundry, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 66: Attitudes towards doing the laundry (continued), by demographics, September 2012
Figure 67: Attitudes towards doing the laundry, by frequency of loading and starting the washing machine, September 2012
APPENDIX – CLOTHES WASHING PATTERNS
Figure 68: Agreement with statements on washing clothes, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 69: Agreement with statements on washing clothes (continued), by demographics, September 2012
Figure 70: Agreement with statements on washing clothes, by frequency of loading and starting the washing machine, September 2012
APPENDIX – CLOTHES DRYING PATTERNS
Figure 71: Agreement with statements on drying laundry, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 72: Agreement with statements on drying laundry (continued), by demographics, September 2012
Figure 73: Agreement with statements on drying laundry, by frequency of loading and starting the washing machine, September 2012
Figure 74: Agreement with statements on drying laundry, by frequency of loading and unloading the tumble dryer, September 2012
APPENDIX – IRONING HABITS AND ATTITUDES
Figure 75: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 76: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing (continued), by demographics, September 2012
Figure 77: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing, by frequency of loading and starting the washing machine, September 2012
Figure 78: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing, by frequency of ironing, September 2012
APPENDIX – TARGET GROUPS
Figure 79: Target groups, by demographics, September 2012
Figure 80: Responsibilities for different laundry tasks, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 81: Frequency of doing loading and starting the washing machine tasks, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 82: Frequency of doing loading and unloading the tumble dryer tasks, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 83: Frequency of ironing, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 84: Attitudes towards doing the laundry, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 85: Agreement with statements on washing clothes, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 86: Agreement with statements on drying laundry, by target groups, September 2012
Figure 87: Agreement with statements on doing the ironing, by target groups, September 2012