Western Europe

Sales of laundry care declined in retail volume terms as economic pressures and price rises pushed consumers to make savings. However, the essential character of laundry detergents means it is hard for consumers to significantly reduce their use of…

Value sales of laundry care, the largest category in German home care, continued to grow in 2023, albeit at a slower pace compared to the previous year. The most substantial growth within laundry care was observed in liquid tablet detergents and…

Despite laundry care remaining in a negative volume slump, value sales remain supported by the higher prices in the category, as the notable players are big global names. Indeed, Procter & Gamble Hellas SA and Unilever Hellas SA are the top two…

In 2023, laundry care saw a decline in retail volume growth as retail value sales were bolstered by rising inflation and high price points. Furthermore, as hygiene concerns diminished following COVID-19, Irish consumers were returning to pre-pandemic…

Demand for laundry care products continued to fall in Italy in 2023, as consumers maintained the less rigorous washing and sanitation regimes practised pre-pandemic. Reduced anxiety over catching the virus, along with rising electricity costs and…

The persistent high inflationary conditions of 2023 dampened consumer purchasing power, and demand for laundry care products fell for the third consecutive year. This was in marked contrast to 2020, when laundry care products saw positive growth in…

In 2023, laundry care current value growth was driven largely by price increases. Laundry detergents saw above average price rises, not only due to upward price movements, but also to a decline in visible promotional activity, which was less frequent…

The Spanish market for laundry care experienced a decline in retail volume terms in 2023. This was partly due to a change in laundry habits, in light of the high cost of living, as consumers looked to control their energy bills and make more…

Inflation, driven by increased manufacturer input costs, is being transferred to households through elevated retail price points, placing a strain on household finances. It is evident that households are prioritising price value and seeking…

Liquid tablet detergents posted the strongest performance in laundry care in 2023 due to the high level of convenience offered by the category, as well as many other advantages, including the fact that these products do not take up much storage…

2023 saw private label players in laundry care strive to emphasise their strides forward in terms of sustainability, particularly in relation to product ingredients and the possibility of cool washes. A growing number of Dutch consumers were…

Laundry care experienced growth in both retail volume and current value terms in the UK in 2023. Greater demand was driven by greater mobility, as consumers have returned to their normal lives. Alongside consumers needing to wash their clothes more…

In 2023, retail value sales growth was extremely high, driven by rising prices across laundry products. Retail volume sales also remained positive, bolstered by laundry detergents registering high volume growth thanks to consumer bulk purchases.

Laundry care has been recording modest year-on-year real value growth of late in Western Europe, with this remaining the case in 2020. Growth is being primarily driven by liquid tablet detergents and concentrated liquid detergents. Coronavirus…

In 2023, polishes saw continued volume decline, having received a boost during the pandemic when local consumers spent more time at home. Due to busy schedules, local consumers have less time available for deep cleaning and polishing their households…

Sales of polishes had been on a downward trajectory for over a decade when the COVID-19 crisis hit Belgium with many consumers no longer investing in polishes. The category experienced an unexpected turnaround in fortunes in 2020 due to people…

Consistent with observations across home care, polishes in Denmark witnessed strong increases in retail current unit prices towards the end of the review period, including 2023. Still relatively high inflation amid higher input costs (energy,…

High volume price growth continues to impede the volume sales growth of polishes in 2023. Consumers are prioritising necessary home care products over polishes, leading to a decline in their usage. The popularity of non-wood materials for furniture…

Sales of polishes continued to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, following a long-term downward trend. Essentially, polishes are seen as products which can be easily replaced in home care, which falls in line with the rising popularity of…

In 2023, busier lifestyles compounded the ongoing decline in demand for polishes in Germany, reflecting changing cleaning habits. With less time spent at home and more hectic lives, local consumers increasingly favour quicker and easier alternatives,…