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60 CATEGORY FOCUS Household
Cleaning up!
During the Covid-19 pandemic, household hygiene has become more important than ever to help safeguard against the spread of the virus. Alongside this, the work-from-home revolution has meant that the house or apartment is no longer just a home, but a workplace, gym and study spot too, with the result that constant household upkeep has become essential for your shoppers, writes Gillian Hamill
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s a recently published report by Mintel entitled ‘Global Household Trends 2021’ states: “Cleaning products have been extremely important during the pandemic because they are now part of consumers’ safety strategy. People want assurance that they are killing the virus and preventing its spread, and they especially want to know that they’re using the right products at the right time and in the right way to reduce their risk of getting sick.” As such, household cleaning products and homecare brands have an opportunity to deliver greater peace of mind for consumers, which will reinforce their status as trusted, reliable brands and create repeat purchases. In fact, Nielsen reported in March of last year, that within the Irish market, sales of disinfectant sprays and wipes were up 24% on the same period last year, whilst sales of soap and antiseptics were up 6% on the previous month. “A certified ability to kill Covid-19 brings one layer of assurance,” Mintel’s global report continues. “Apps that track how the virus is spreading in the community and tell consumers where cleaning products are in stock are supplementary tools that will build loyalty and trust. As consumers embrace mental wellness during quarantine, there is an opportunity for specialised products that support their quest. Cleaners for exercise or craft rooms will grow category margins.”
their mental and physical wellbeing with products, routines, and philanthropy”. Mintel’s ‘Rights’ trend driver also “underlines the need for consumers to feel respected, protected, and supported. Homecare brands will have a new responsibility to educate and nurture people and assist in narrowing the divides that exist in society”.
Safe and serene
Circular economy solutions
Mintel also pinpoints a number of trends that are becoming increasingly pertinent within the homecare sector. “The pandemic has forced people to withdraw from society,” the analyst states. “We now work, study, exercise, and play at home, and that has added a layer of stress that has brought many people to a breaking point. The ‘Safe Home, Serene Home’ trend explores how household brands can preserve consumers’ mental and physical wellbeing with products, routines, and philanthropy.” Under the ‘Wellbeing’ trend meanwhile, Mintel writes that “homecare brands can be critical allies in helping consumers preserve
ShelfLife September 2021 | www.shelflife.ie
Task-specific cleaners We can also expect to see task-specific cleaners become more prominent within the market according to Mintel. “As the pandemic raged on, we engaged in at-home activities that support our mental and physical wellbeing,” the report states. “These activities, whether cooking, crafting, or exercising, have become critical for a population that is squeezing every bit of potential from their homes for the sake of their health. While recent years have seen an increase in consumer preference for all-purpose cleaners, the lockdown lifestyle presents a unique opportunity for brands to develop more emotional marketing around healthful activities and the specialised cleaners that they require. For example, 64% of US adults exercise at home, and this suggests growth potential for exercise-specific cleaners. When we consider this together with the fact that more people
Irish manufacturer, VivaGreen, is offering circular economy solutions for retailers with its Tru Eco range of eco-friendly household cleaning and laundry products made in Ireland. The Tru Eco range of products is made from plant-based and biodegradable ingredients and each bottle is made from 100% recycled plastic, creating a circular economy product that is reusable, recyclable, and refillable. The range includes an All-Purpose Cleaner, Washing-Up Liquid, Non-Bio Laundry Detergent, and Fabric Conditioner. Tru Eco also offers a refill solution, which
have raised both self-care and homecare to an art form during the pandemic, we can foresee the pendulum swinging back to task-specific cleaners.” Household cleaning brands also have an opportunity to increasingly link themselves with health and wellness apps and organisations; encompassing a holistic approach to wellbeing. “Apps that track and report on our sleep, diet and exercise are becoming more prevalent,” Mintel writes. “As cleaning becomes a component of the wellness lifestyle, data-driven tools that track chores and monitor germs and even caloric expenditure during homecare will help create a routine around this work and solidify its status as a wellness activity. For household care brands, this suggests a host of partnership opportunities that will forge stronger links between homecare and wellness. Beyond cleaning-specific apps like Tody, building cleaning components into exercise apps like Fitbit or mental meditation apps like Calm takes cleaning brands further into this new frontier. Even music-streaming tools like Spotify have teamed up with cleaning brands for ‘cleaning playlists’ that help transform a chore into a wellness routine. This points to growth potential during the pandemic and beyond.” The full Mintel report can be downloaded at www.mintel.com/global-household-trends.
