Routines see permanent change
There was a certain degree of resilience across many household categories this year as more time spent at home continued to fuel growth above pre-pandemic purchasing levels.
Taking a category view reveals some interesting dynamics that reflect what was going on in the world. For example, the performance of household cleaners became the key indicator of our level of hygiene concern. Similarly, the auto dishwash category saw spikes in usage during times of lockdown throughout 2020 and 2021. These dynamics are reflected in the brands. Dettol’s range of laundry additives and Fairy’s anti-bacterial washing-up liquid saw more moments of consumption as people sought to kill germs all around the house.
It now looks as though routines have changed permanently, with auto dishwash products up 11% and household cleaners up 14.5% in 2021 compared with pre-pandemic levels
Of course, not every category has seen such a headwind. There are general trends affecting all brands across the household sector. Sustainability returns to the front of many consumers minds, with the number of eco-actives gaining share and helping drive eco-brands' outperformance. Developing more premium offerings is a key driver of growth for this sector, but brands have to gauge this carefully to be genuinely successful. There is also a growing trend across many categories for new and niche brands that are colourful, fun and loved by social media influencers such as Fabulosa, currently expanding presence both in terms of the range and distribution.
Click on the table to see the ranking in more detail
Of the major brands, Lenor is the fastest growing in terms of consumer reach points this year with 22% growth, climbing 2 places to reach 4th overall.
The brand has driven the growth of the fabric conditioner category as a whole due to their game-changing scent innovations Lenor Outdoorable and Lenor scent beads.
