Dishwashing in South Africa

2021 DEVELOPMENTS

Demand for dishwashing remains strong, driven by remote working and frequent home cooking

In 2020, sales of dishwashing were significantly boosted by the pandemic, as households were forced to remain on lockdown for several months of the year and restaurants and fast food outlets were ordered to close their doors to minimise the spread of the virus. This resulted in a significant rise in the frequency of cooking at home, and created higher quantities of dishes that needed to be washed.

Unilever remains leading player in dishwashing, followed by Reckitt Benckiser

There were no significant changes in company or brand rankings in 2021 – the category continued to be dominated by Unilever which offers leading hand dishwashing brand Sunlight, while second-ranked Reckitt Benckiser leads automatic dishwashing with popular global brand Finish. Sunlight liquid possesses unrivalled brand equity in South African home care, as it benefits from strong consumer trust, while the company regularly offers promotions and bundle packs, while also stocking refills.

Sustainability continues to trail product efficacy during the pandemic

Prior to the global pandemic, sustainability had emerged strongly as a priority for players. As a result, many manufacturers invested significant funds into research and development to identify recyclability and products made with recycled packaging, as well as investigating eco-friendly ingredients.

PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Dishwashing sales set to grow, as remote working gains traction and home cooking remains popular

Over the forecast period, while category growth is set to stabilise as the pandemic eases, dishwashing volume sales are expected to remain higher compared to the review period. Since the pandemic has changed the way South Africans live and work, many employees are expected to continue working from home on a more permanent basis, as flexible working arrangements become the norm for many companies.

Automatic dishwasher tablets to post strongest growth

Automatic dishwasher tablets is predicted to record the most dynamic performance over the forecast period, in line with an expected rise in dishwasher penetration, which remains relatively low in South Africa, while the convenience of the tablet format trumps alternative options. During 2020, dishwasher sales boomed, growing by double digits as mid-income consumers invested in these appliances to make their lives easier whilst confined to their homes.

E-commerce, private label to grow in popularity, while sustainability gains fresh focus

The forecast period is set to be shaped by several key trends, including the continued development of e-commerce, while sustainability is expected to become increasingly important to both manufacturers and consumers. Firstly, the pandemic has strongly boosted e-commerce sales as consumers have been confined to their homes, and while home care e-commerce sales remain low relative to other product categories – including durables such as consumer electronics and consumer appliances – this poses strong growth potential for the forecast period.