Bleach in the US

2020 IMPACT

Bleach sees a surge in demand after years of decline

After years of current value decline, bleach saw a surge in demand and double-digit growth in 2020. Consumers were looking for their households to be as germ-free as possible due to COVID-19, and bleach is reputed to be a strong disinfectant.

Unsafe practices with bleach lead to emphasis of warnings and cautions

Along with the high demand for bleach, reports of misusing these products also increased in the US. The desire to prevent COVID-19 drove some consumers to use bleach in an unsafe way, including washing food with bleach, applying bleach to their skin, and ingesting bleach.

Clorox continues to dominate bleach

The Clorox Co remained the dominant bleach manufacturer and saw an increase in its value share in 2020. Its Clorox brand continued to enjoy strong brand recognition, and when consumers looked for effective products during the pandemic, Clorox was looked upon as one of the most trustworthy brands.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Return to pre-COVID decline expected as the shift away from bleach resumes

Demand for bleach is expected to return to decline from 2021, and the category is projected to see a similar performance to pre-COVID-19. Panic-buying and the increased concern for health and hygiene drove much of the demand for bleach in 2020.

Innovating to increase ease of use

Bleach can be an intimidating product for consumers, as there are many precautions on safe usage and guidelines on appropriate dosages. Innovation in the bleach category could help address these factors.

Competition from surface care products grows

While bleach attracted greater interest from consumers in 2020, so did other surface care products. Consumers use bleach, for example, as a household cleaner, laundry booster, deck cleaner, disinfectant, weed killer and toilet cleaner.