SANDRA CATARINO, YVES BOLAND
CP Kelco

Abstract

‘Clean label’ is a trend that continues to evolve in meaning and relevance, with multiple market intelligence sites proclaiming it a top trend for many years now. What began in the food and beverage segment as a way to eat healthier has grown to encompass a whole lifestyle. There’s now clean beauty transforming the personal care market and clean home care (clean cleaning?).

What does this mean for the future of liquid laundry detergents and fabric softeners in particular? Does it mean that consumers now care as much about ingredients as the brand itself? What is driving the change and what ingredient qualities now appeal to consumers?

WHAT CONSUMERS WANT

Consumers typically fall into one of two categories: value-driven or purpose-driven. The value-driven consumer is primarily concerned about cost and will select a brand based on price, convenience or perceived value for the money. The purpose-driven consumer will instead select a brand based on how it aligns with personal values, such as sustainability, and is willing to pay more. 

In 2020, IBM conducted a survey of consumer shopping behavior in 28 countries in association with the National Retail Federation. Nearly eight in 10 respondents said sustainability was important. Seven in 10 said they were looking for specific attributes in their product choice, and nearly six in 10 would change their shopping habits to help reduce negative environmental impact (1).

When shopping for a food, beverage, personal care or home care product, consumers are likely to analyze the product label. They may not recognize all of the ingredients by name, but they know what they don’t want to see. Food and beverage manufacturers often aim for no more than 10 ingredients. However, ...