Bleach in Romania

2020 IMPACT

Bleach gets a boost in 2020 as consumers remain concerned about virus transmission on surfaces

Previously, aversion to the strong smell of bleach and its possible negative impact on clothes saw volume and current value sales of bleach decline. However, for the first time in the review period, bleach recorded an increase in both its volume and value sales in 2020, as consumers welcomed its reliable antibacterial/viral/fungal properties during the COIVD-19 pandemic.

Bleach players trying to market bleach as good for cleaning the house, not just for laundry purposes

There is a change in how bleach products are being marketed, with brand owners increasingly trying to advertise bleach as not only good for use with the laundry but also for cleaning the house. This is aimed at diminishing the decline of these products amid intense competition from laundry care products.

Ace continues to dominate sales of bleach in Romania in 2020

Procter & Gamble remained the clear leader in bleach in 2020, as its Ace brand has a strong tradition in Romania and is almost considered synonymous with this product. Ace also has good brand recognition among local consumers and benefits from a strong presence across all retail channels and from having been intensely promoted in the Romanian media.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Bleach has a gloomy future, and multiple factors will contribute to decline over the forecast period

In both retail volume and current value terms, bleach will see a slowdown in growth in 2021, followed by a decline across the forecast period, as consumer fears about the possibility of contagion diminish. While consumers will still be preoccupied with health and hygiene, they will choose surface care products instead, as a result of greater information and awareness of these products.

Channel shifts will see sales of bleach grow in online retail channels while declining in traditional grocery retailers

Unlike other home care products, traditional grocery retailers still account for the biggest sales share in bleach, and this is likely to continue in the future. This is because bleach is bought mostly by rural dwellers who do not have access to many modern grocery retailers.

Limited innovation will likely take the form of new fragrances

There is limited brand and product variety in bleach, with only a few brands being available. As local consumers become more demanding and sophisticated, they are more likely to purchase bleach products with added value, such as pine-scented varieties and those with ‘local’ or natural fragrances.