Abstract
This report is the second part of a two-part series on household cleaning products. It complements the findings of Household Cleaning Products: The Market-U.S., May 2008, including the widespread shift away from "deep cleaning", strong interest in environmentally-friendly products, the growth potential for store-brand products and the increasing use of the Internet as a retail channel.
Analysis and insights include:
- Which products and brands are most popular among consumers of different genders, age groups, household incomes and races/ethnicities
- Which consumers are most interested in child-safe and environmentally friendly products
- Consumer reservations and concerns relative to environmentally-friendly products
- Who is most likely to use disposable wipes and for what types of cleaning jobs
- Which consumers show strong preferences for anti-bacterial, easy-to-use and unscented products
- Which consumers are most likely to shop for their products online
- How household cleaning products, product choices and attitudes have evolved over the past two years
Table of Contents
- Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- Executive Summary
- Consumers show strong interest in environmental products; concerns about cost and effectiveness warrant attention
- Child-safe products garner interest, but opportunity exists for education and outreach
- Women still primary cleaners, though appeals to men could yield benefits
- Older consumers favor traditional, deeper cleaning products, but also show positive attitudes towards green products
- Hispanics: more limited product range includes all-purpose, unscented and green cleaners
- Parents are strong users of wipes and seek germ-killing, time-saving, and all-purpose products
- Trends indicate a more conservative spending environment and opportunities for more economically-priced and store-brand products
- Respondents show increased use of job-specific wipes
- Market Drivers
- Less time being spent on household chores
- Figure 1: Weekly hours spent doing housework, 1976 and 2005
- Age considerations
- Figure 2: Population by age, 2002-12
- Less carpet, more hard surface flooring
- Figure 3: U.S. wholesale sales of floor covering products, 2002 and 2007
- New product introductions essential
- Figure 4: U.S. new household cleaning product introductions, 2002-07
- Convenience leads new product positioning claims
- Figure 5: U.S. new household cleaning product introductions, by category, 2005 and 2007
- Figure 6: Top 5 product claims in hard surface careConsumers more interested in green products
- Figure 7: Consumer awareness of ' green' products or services, February 2008
- Usage and Attitude Trends
- Key points
- Higher share of respondents take sole responsibility for cleaning
- Figure 8: Trends in who cleans the house, 2006 and 2008
- Increased incidence of using job-specific wipes
- Figure 9: Trends in types of wipes used, 2006 and 2008
- Respondents more likely to take cleaning cloths on the road
- Figure 10: Attitudes towards cleaning cloths, 2006 and 2008
- As state of economy worsens, store brands look better
- Figure 11: Opinions regarding convenience and value of cleaning products, agree summary, April 2008
- Green movement gaining momentum, but green cleaning appears to be
cost-prohibitive
- Figure 12: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, agree summary, 2006 and 2008
- Usage and Attitudes by Gender
- Key points
- A larger share of men are cleaning, but women still bear the burden
- Figure 13: Trends in who cleans the house, by gender, 2006 and 2008
- Female respondents more likely to favor job-specific wipes
- Figure 14: Types of wipes used, by gender, April 2008
- Disposable wipes are good for quick clean-ups, but not so much for major
cleaning
- Figure 15: Attitudes towards cleaning cloths, agree summary, by gender, April 2008
- Female respondents slightly more concerned about germ-killing and
anti-bacterial properties
- Figure 16: Opinions regarding convenience and value of cleaning products, agree summary, by gender, April 2008
- Innovations in better-smelling products may be lost on men
- Figure 17: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, agree summary, by gender, April 2008
- Male respondents show a marked lack of confidence in the effectiveness of
child-safe products
- Figure 18: Attitudes towards child-safe products, agree summary, by gender, April 2008
- Usage and Attitudes by Age
- Key points
- Younger adults more likely to share cleaning duties
- Figure 19: Who cleans the house, by age, April 2008
- Older adults favor products that offer deep cleaning
- Figure 20: Household usage of cleaners, by age of head of household, January-November 2007Even though wipes are relatively new, older adults are not far behind younger in use
- Figure 21: Types of wipes used, by age, April 2008
- Younger adults realistic about the limitations of disposable wipes
- Figure 22: Attitudes towards cleaning cloths, agree summary, by age, April 2008
- Younger adults place a premium on products that make cleaning faster
- Figure 23: Opinions regarding convenience and value of cleaning products, agree summary, by age, April 2008
- Younger adults also place a premium on child-safe products
- Figure 24: Attitudes towards child-safe products, agree summary, by age, April 2008
- Younger adults form the core of the environmentally friendly product
consumer base
- Figure 25: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, agree summary, by age, April 2008
- Usage and Attitudes by Race/Ethnicity
- Key points
- Black respondents much more likely to use a wide range of cleaners
- Figure 26: Household usage of cleaners, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Faster cleaning worth a premium among black consumers
- Figure 27: Opinions regarding convenience and value of cleaning products, agree summary, race/ethnicity, April 2008
- Although they are more likely to be buyers, Hispanic respondents have
concerns about environmentally friendly products
- Figure 28: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, agree summary, by race/ethnicity, April 2008
- Hispanics not convinced of effectiveness of child-safe products
- Figure 29: Attitudes towards child-safe products, agree summary, by race/ethnicity, April 2008
- Brand Preferences by Race/Ethnicity
- Key points
- Black respondents loyal to a number of glass cleaner brands
- Figure 30: Brands of window/glass cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Black respondents prefer scrubbers with power like Brillo
- Figure 31: Brands of scouring pads/sponges used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- In household cleaners, distinct brand preferences appear by race/ethnicity
- Figure 32: Brands of household cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Blacks and Hispanics considerably less likely than average to use Swiffer
wipes
- Figure 33: Brands of household cleaning disposable wipes/floor cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Rug cleaners/shampoo preferences divide along race/ethnicity lines
- Figure 34: Brands of rug cleaners/shampoos used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Febreze deodorizers and fresheners have not won over black and Hispanic
respondents
- Figure 35: Brands of rug deodorizers/fresheners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Clorox toilet care products rank highest with Hispanic consumers
- Figure 36: Brands of in-bowl toilet cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- In-tank toilet cleaners
- Figure 37: Brands of in-tank toilet cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Black respondents loyal to a range of floor cleaning products
- Figure 38: Brands of floor wax or polish used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- The Impact of Children
- Key points
- Cleaning duties more likely to be shared in households with children
- Figure 39: Who cleans the house, by presence of children, April 2008
- Having children in the household virtually guarantees use of wipes
- Figure 40: Types of wipes used, by presence of children, April 2008
- Have kids, will carry travel-size cleaning cloths
- Figure 41: Attitudes towards cleaning cloths, agree summary, by presence of children, April 2008
- Presence of children in household is not necessarily a strong predictor of
acceptance of environmentally friendly products
- Figure 42: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, agree summary, by presence of children, April 2008
- Household Income
- Key points
- Hiring professional cleaning help is primarily limited to the most affluent
- Figure 43: Who cleans the house, by household income, April 2008
- Use of all types of wipes increases with household income
- Figure 44: Types of wipes used, by household income, April 2008
- Wealthiest respondents more willing to pay a premium for faster cleaning
- Figure 45: Opinions regarding convenience and value of cleaning products, agree summary, by household income, April 2008
- Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
- Trended use of household cleaners
- Figure 61: Trended household usage of household cleaners, 2001-07
- Types of cleaners used
- Forms of wipes used
- Figure 62: Form of wipes used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Household cleaners
- Figure 63: Types of household cleaners used, by age of head of household, January-November 2007
- Figure 64: Types of household cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Rug cleaners/shampoos
- Figure 65: Types of rug cleaners/shampoos used, by age of head of household, January-November 2007
- Brands used
- Household cleaners
- Figure 66: Brands of household cleaners used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Figure 67: Brands of household cleaning wipes used, by age of head of household, January-November 2007
- Drain cleaner
- Figure 68: Brands of drain cleaner used, by race/ethnicity, January-November 2007
- Figure 69: Brands of drain cleaners used, by age of head of household, January-November 2007
- Attitudes and opinions
- Disposable cleaning cloths
- Figure 70: Attitudes towards cleaning cloths, agree summary, by race/ethnicity, April 2008
- Convenience and value
- Figure 71: Opinions regarding convenience and value of cleaning products, agree summary, presence of children, April 2008
- Environmental concerns
- Figure 72: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, moms vs. women with no children, agree summary, April 2008
- Figure 73: Environmental concerns and cleaning products, agree summary, by household income, April 2008
- Child-safe products
- Figure 74: Attitudes towards child-safe products, agree summary, by household income, April 2008
- Appendix: Trade Associations
