Toilet Care in Taiwan

2020 IMPACT

Hygiene concerns at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic boost category sales

Toilet care registered the second highest volume and value growth of any home care category in 2020, with home care wipes the only category to register a more dynamic performance over the course of the year. Prominent among the key factors spurring demand for toilet care during the year were rising hygiene concerns among consumers concerned about the threat of contagion the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Toilet liquids/foam remains the dominant and most dynamic category in toilet care

Toilet liquids/foam benefited the most from the rising demand experienced in toilet care in Taiwan during 2020. While in-cistern devices is already a well-established category with strong sales, value sales of toilet liquids/foam remain double those of in-cistern devices.

Suspicions surrounding in-cistern devices continue to suppress demand

One of the main factors for the considerably lower sales of in-cistern devices than toilet liquids/foam in Taiwan is the lack of consumer trust in these products, especially among older consumers. One important factor to take into consideration here is that there are many reviews and comments being posted online stating that in-cistern devices can damage the plastic or rubber fittings inside toilets.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Moderate positive sales growth to follow strong declines as sales return to normal

2021 is expected to see double-digit declines in sales of toilet care. However, this should be regarded entirely as a counterbalancing of the very strong growth that was recorded in the category during 2020.

Local players expected to continue holding their own against their international rivals

Local companies and brands have a better position overall in toilet care than in most other home care categories, with international players maintaining only a slight advantage in value share terms. One of the major factors benefiting domestic players against their foreign rivals is their lower unit prices, which has made their products particularly appealing to older people and less affluent consumers.

Private label remains a marginal presence in toilet care

Somewhat surprisingly, private label remained a minor player in toilet care in Taiwan at the end of the review period. Although private label has a very strong position in bleach, toilet care is a category in which a certain level of sophistication is expected from consumers, even in the relatively low-cost category of toilet liquids/foam.