Procter & Gamble continues to lead the global home care market, enjoying a very strong position in the US, where it is the dominant force in both dishwashing and the major laundry care category. The company continues to invest in innovative new products, looking, where possible, to also boost the sustainability credentials of its portfolio, as seen with the new Tide Evo waterless detergent.

Unilever, the number two player in global home care, is a particularly prominent operator in emerging markets, leading in both the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions. Its main categories continue to be laundry care, dishwashing and surface care. As part of Unilever’s Growth Action Plan, the company’s home care operations are leveraging its in-house science and technology capabilities to develop innovations to help drive category growth.

Reckitt Benckiser, which owns the leading brands in the dishwashing (Finish) and surface care (Lysol) categories, remains one of the leading home care players globally. As it looks to sharpen the focus on what it calls its Powerbrands, the company is planning to exit its non-core businesses, Essential Home and Mead Johnson Nutrition, by the end of 2025.

A growing number of Indian households are transitioning from traditional powder detergents to liquid alternatives, a trend fuelled by the increasing penetration of washing machines and evolving consumer preferences around convenience and fabric care. Liquid detergents offer superior solubility and are better suited to the automatic wash cycles of modern machines, making them particularly appealing to urban and nuclear households with limited time and heightened expectations around garment longev

This report examines five key trends reshaping home care: The urgent need for sustainable home care practices addressing water scarcity and microplastic pollution; The increasing market influence of private label and direct-to-consumer brands; The growing consumer demand for wellness-focused products; The implications of the cold and quick wash trend in laundry; and The rising demand for smart cleaning solutions in connected homes. These shifts present both challenges and opportunities for the i

Laundry care in Germany continued to perform well in 2024, with both retail volume and value sales rising. Local consumers increasingly opted for high-quality, multifunctional products that offered superior cleaning, fabric care and stain removal in a single solution. In particular, liquid tablet detergents, liquid fabric softeners, in-wash spot and stain removers and concentrated liquid detergents performed well in volume growth terms during the year. However, this trend was not evident across

Laundry care in Austria saw robust current value growth in 2024, mainly driven by laundry detergents. While overall volume sales was stagnant due to higher detergent concentration rates requiring less detergent per load, current value sales rose due to higher unit prices from increased production and sales costs, as well as product innovations. There is a high penetration of automatic washing machines in Austria, and most local consumers do their own laundry at home, with minimal dry cleaning ne

In the global home care industry in 2025, emerging markets are driving value growth, while mature markets focus on premiumisation and functionality. Affordability concerns are shaping pricing and drive private label, while e-commerce gains traction. Local value and DTC brands are increasingly competing with multinational giants. Future growth depends on balancing cost, innovation and consumer trends, with opportunities in wellness, sustainability and convenience.

Laundry care in the US experienced low retail current value growth in 2024, approaching sales of USD18 billion and representing nearly half of overall sales of home care products in the country. This significant contribution highlights the indispensable nature of laundry care products, driven by the universal need to wash clothes regardless of external events. In addition, premiumisation has further bolstered its prominence in value terms, reflecting the willingness of many consumers to invest i

Retail current value sales of laundry care continued to expand at a robust rate in 2024. Despite relative price stability during the year, price sensitivity remains high, driving consumers towards hand washing and bar detergents. The pouch format, typically sold at XAF50/25g and intended for daily use, remained more popular than family pack sizes. Pricing for leading brands Madar, Ola and Bril remained stable, while Capital Trading kept the price of Ozil steady but reduced its pack size. Popular

Unpackaged laundry detergents used to be sold in rural areas of Tunisia and had virtually disappeared from big cities. However, these cheaper formats have witnessed a resurgence. Middle and low-income consumers prefer to buy detergent in smaller quantities from Tunisia’s traditional grocery stores, often buying as and when required. There are two brands leading unpackaged laundry detergents: Clean by Azur Detergent (Société d'Articles Hygiéniques Sarl (SAH)) and Dexel from Société de Détergents

In 2024, laundry care in Morocco posted a slight increase in retail volume sales and strong retail current value growth. This performance was supported by urbanisation, population and household number growth, the high and gradual rise in the household penetration of automatic washing machines and rising prices. As an overall category, fabric softeners posted the fastest growth rates in 2024, albeit from a relatively low base. The rapid expansion of economy brands and private label ranges like Ma

In 2024, laundry care emerged as the best-performing category within the home care sector in Nigeria, recording a retail value increase of 85%. Despite this impressive value growth, sales were impacted by the challenging economic conditions. High inflation led to a sharp rise in unit prices, with the average unit price climbing by nearly 80%. While retail volume sales experienced an increase of 3%, the strong value sales growth was primarily driven by higher prices, rather than increased consump

Pwani Oil has introduced an upgraded version of its Ushindi Multipurpose Bar Soap in 2024 in response to the increasing consumer demand for laundry care solutions in Kenya. The company has been able to reformulate its line of bar detergents with advanced enzyme technology, improving its stain removal capabilities, durability, and its gentleness on hands, without raising its price. This innovation eliminates the need to use both bar detergents and powder detergents, thereby offering a more cost-e

Retail volume sales of laundry care continued to grow at a robust pace in 2024 but far slower than the rate of growth in retail current value sales, with elevated inflation largely accounting for the difference between the two. Laundry care is regarded as a necessity across all income groups in Pakistan, so demand remained resilient.

While value sales of laundry care continued to rise in 2024 due to another increase in unit prices, overall demand further declined, as local consumers spent greater time outside of the home and dedicated less of their free time to household chores. However, product innovation increased, with a number of new SKUs offering different antibacterial and antiviral features.

Overall laundry care in Taiwan showed growth in retail current value terms in 2024, and a slight decline in retail volume terms. Value growth was mainly due to the increasing focus on liquid tablet detergents, due to the increase in spending on products incorporating antibacterial, anti-dust mite, and deodorisation features. The continued move away from standard liquid detergents, as well as fewer concerns over personal hygiene, and therefore less frequent washes, explains the slight volume decl

There was a significant acceleration in the rate of growth in retail current value sales of laundry care in Uruguay during 2024. In line with the trend observed in the last decade, liquid detergents continued to significantly outperform powder detergents in terms of retail current value sales during 2024. Retail volume sales of powder detergents plunged, while those of standard liquid detergents continued to expand rapidly. In 2024, liquid detergents accounted for around two thirds of retail val

Laundry care in North Macedonia experienced a moderate slowdown in current value growth in 2024 as the recent spike in inflation fuelled by the global recovery from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine steadily receded. Nonetheless, with unit prices remaining on an upward trajectory, the category still expanded at an impressive pace overall in this respect. It also saw retail volume sales return to positive territory following two consecutive years of decline as the easing of cost-of-li

In Finland, there is growing awareness of skin sensitivities among the local population, which has stimulated demand for gentler laundry products. Consumers are seeking detergents that are free from harsh chemicals, allergens, and fragrances to prevent skin irritation. An example of this is the launch of Softcare Zero Sensitive Laundry Detergent, formulated without fragrances, dyes, or allergens, thus providing a skin-friendly option without compromising on cleaning power.

Laundry care in Uzbekistan saw substantial shifts in 2024, primarily driven by regulatory changes and escalating prices. Unit prices showed double -digit growth, with imported brands seeing increases of 25-35% due to heightened customs tariffs and elevated logistics costs.

In 2024, Guatemala’s laundry care category saw pricing trends directly impacted by general inflation rates, which were the lowest since 2020. The stabilisation of raw material costs played a pivotal role in curbing price increases throughout the year. This trend was particularly evident in segments such as spot and stain removers, as well as fine fabric detergents, where prices saw a noticeable decline. The combination of these factors led to an uptick in volume sales of laundry care products, w

In 2024, Kazakhstan’s laundry care category recorded growth in both value and volume terms, reflecting a steady demand across the market. However, this overall expansion masked contrasting trends within specific product segments. While sales volumes of powder detergents declined, the consumption of liquid and tablet laundry detergents continued to rise, indicating a growing preference among consumers for more convenient and efficient formats, and aligning with broader global trends favouring liq

In 2024, Japan faced economic challenges, characterised by a persistent weakening of the yen, and rising costs across various industries. The Japanese yen, which was 109.8 yen against the US dollar in 2021, plummeted to 151.4 yen in 2024, according to Euromonitor’s Economies data, marking a notable decline which had not been seen in the previous three decades. This depreciation, alongside cost-push inflation driven by increases in raw materials, energy, packaging, and logistics costs, contribute