This report looks at the following areas:
This Report explores issues related to purchasing household cleaning products. Through research on changes in consumer purchase frequency, channel changes, shopping drivers, brand awareness, and cleaning preferences, it aims to explore consumer household cleaning behaviours and the future development opportunities for household cleaning product brands.
- Main buyers and purchase frequency
- Important purchase channels
- Drivers of repurchases and trial purchases
- Awareness of and purchases from different types of brands
- Satisfaction with brands and trial purchase willingness
- Product features with trade-up potential
- Cleaning and purchasing behaviour preferences
In the context of consumers returning to conscious consumption and pursuing efficiency, household cleaning product brands can adhere to long-termism and focus on the emotional experience, aesthetic value, humanistic care and sustainable value that products can deliver. This approach demonstrates a people-centric vision and deepens consumer trust.
Gloria Gan, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report covers the following product categories:
In this Report, Mintel divides household cleaning products in the China market into four segments:
- Bleach/disinfectants that can be used in multiple household scenarios (excluding laundry disinfectants)
- Kitchen cleaners primarily used for removing kitchen grease (excluding dishwashing products)
- Washroom cleaners, mainly including toilet/bowl cleaners and bathroom/tile cleaners
- Hard surface cleaners, including window/glass cleaners, floor cleaners, disposable cleaning wipes (such as kitchen wipes, floor wipes), household appliance cleaners (such as oven, refrigerator, washing machine drum cleaners, but excluding dishwasher cleaners) and furniture care products (such as wood polish)
* multi-scenario drain cleaners can be classified into kitchen or toilet cleaner segments according to their usage scenarios. Similarly, multi-purpose cleaners can also be classified into the kitchen, toilet or hard surface cleaner segments according to their usage scenarios.
Definition of sub-groups (by household monthly income):
- Low household income is defined as a monthly household income of RMB6,000-9,999 in Tier 1 cities and RMB5,000-8,999 in Tier 2 or lower cities.
- Middle household income is defined as a monthly household income of RMB10,000-17,999 in Tier 1 cities and RMB9,000-15,999 in Tier 2 or lower cities.
- High household income is defined as a monthly household income of RMB18,000 or above in Tier 1 cities and RMB16,000 or above in Tier 2 or lower cities.
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Executive summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- What you need to know
- The market
- The market returns to normal, and household cleaning market growth levels off
- Household cleaning products evolve towards more scents, specialised cleaning and greater safety and environmental friendliness
- Companies and brands
- Marketing activities
- New product trends
- The consumer
- Shopping frequency remains unchanged, and cleaning habits are consistent
- Graph 1: purchase frequency, 2023 vs 2024
- Focus on the potential of video platforms and social ecommerce
- Graph 2: purchase channels, 2024
- Focus on the potential of video platforms and social ecommerce
- Efficacy drives repeat purchases, while packaging drives trial experiences
- Graph 3: drivers of repurchasing and trying new products, 2024
- Efficacy drives repeat purchases, while packaging drives trial experiences
- Hygiene and disinfection brands have the highest purchase rate due to their prominent functional advantages
- Graph 4: category awareness and purchases, 2024
- Hygiene and disinfection brands and retailer own brands receive widespread acclaim
- Graph 5: purchases and satisfaction of different types of brands, 2024
- Hygiene and disinfection brands and own brands are equally adept at promoting trial
- Graph 6: purchases of and trial willingness for different types of brands, 2024
- Beyond disinfection, making cleaning enjoyable matters too
- Graph 7: product features with trade-up potential, 2024
- Beyond disinfection, making cleaning enjoyable matters too
- Improving cleaning efficiency becomes a top priority
- Graph 8: cleaning and purchasing behaviour preferences, 2024
- Improving cleaning efficiency becomes a top priority
- Issues and insights
- What we think
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The market
- Market size
- The market returns to normal, and household cleaning market growth levels off
- Market factors
- Health remains the priority, but food and environmental safety anxiety has significantly improved
- Graph 9: things that worry me the most in life, 2021-24
- Homecare consumption correlates with the prevalence and prevention of infectious diseases
- Graph 10: categories on which consumers spent more compared to the previous month – household care products, 2022-24
- Spending levels on household cleaning products remain stable
- Graph 11: consumption upgrading/downgrading – household cleaning products, personal care products and facial skincare products, 2024
- Diversity in fragrances: explore new blue oceans of mixed and niche scents
- Graph 12: importance of fragrance when purchasing household cleaning products, 2023
- High health demands drive the need for more specialised cleaning products
- Graph 13: social media platform* interactions related to ‘washing machine cleaner’ and ‘mould remover’, 2022-24
- Cleaning appliances not only change cleaning methods but also drive the demand for specialised cleaners
- Graph 14: household and cleaning appliance ownership rates, 2022-24
- Immersive household cleaning videos are a big hit on social media
- Graph 15: mentions of ‘immersive cleaning/immersive house cleaning’ on social media platforms*, 2022-24
- Product safety is scrutinised in market surveillance information disclosure
- The green transformation of household cleaning products: opportunities and challenges
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Companies and brands
- Marketing activities
- Integrate sports event topics to exhibit brand vitality
- Make household chores easier for loved ones: heartfelt short film conveys warmth
- Environmental protection publicity and charity practices go hand in hand: build an ethical brand
- Learn from beauty brands: taking consumers behind the scenes with a scientific perspective
- New product trends
- Growth in the proportion of new floor cleaners and multi-purpose cleaners
- Graph 16: new household cleaning products, by sub-category, 2018-24 (Jan-Aug)
- Upgrade floor cleaners with ‘machine formulations’ as cleaning methods change
- Floor cleaning is also about enhancing functionality and sensory experience
- Convenience and time-saving come first, and antibacterial comes second
- Graph 17: mainstream claims in new household cleaning products, 2018-24 (Jan-Aug)
- Innovations in texture and usage of new drain cleaning products enhance cleaning efficiency
- Add probiotics to create a healthy home environment
- Innovative ‘two-in-one’ household cleaning and hand care benefit
- Promote a green and sustainable lifestyle with eco-friendly innovations
- Combine cleaning and fitness: make household cleaning a healthy lifestyle
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The consumer
- Main buyers and purchase frequency
- Most consumers maintain independent purchasing habits
- Graph 18: [no title]
- Purchase frequency remains stable overall, reflecting consistent cleaning habits
- Graph 19: purchase frequency, 2023 vs 2024
- Post-1990s group has more ‘area-specific’ cleaning habits
- Graph 20: purchase frequency of selected product types – used up within one year, by generation, 2024
- Women’s cleaning concepts are more up-to-date, especially in Tier 1 cities
- Graph 21: purchase frequency of selected products – used up within one year, by city tier and gender, 2024
- Purchase channels
- Focus on the potential of video platforms and social ecommerce
- Graph 22: purchase channels, 2024
- The importance of supermarkets/hypermarkets in consumer reach cannot be overlooked
- Gen Z prefers social ecommerce, while short videos win over more elderly consumers
- Graph 23: changes in purchase channels, by generation, 2023 vs 2024
- Small physical retail channels also have opportunities
- Graph 24: selected purchase channels, by city tier and gender, 2024
- Drivers of repurchases and trial purchases
- Efficacy drives repeat purchases, while packaging drives trial experiences
- Graph 25: drivers of repurchasing and trying new products, 2024
- Post-1990s consumers seeking novelty are more likely to try innovative products
- Graph 26: drivers of trying new products, by generation, 2024
- Men are more focused on cleaning efficiency than women
- Graph 27: selected drivers for trying new products, by gender and city tier, 2024
- Awareness of and purchases from different types of brands
- Hygiene and disinfection brands have the highest purchase rate due to their prominent functional advantages
- Graph 28: brand category awareness and purchases, 2024
- Retailer own brands balancing price and quality have the opportunity to attract post-1990s consumers
- Graph 29: awareness of and purchases from category brands, by gender, 2024
- Foreign traditional brands are more attractive to female consumers
- Graph 30: awareness of and purchases from category brands, by gender, 2024
- Satisfaction with brands and trial purchase willingness
- High satisfaction with hygiene and disinfection brands and retailer own brands
- Graph 31: purchases and satisfaction of different types of brands, 2024
- Hygiene and disinfection brands and retailer own brands also lead in promoting trial
- Graph 32: purchases of and trial willingness for different types of brands, 2024
- Gen Z is highly satisfied with domestic emerging brands
- Graph 33: satisfaction with different types of brands, by generation, 2024
- The value-for-money lower-tier market offers ample expansion space for retailer own brands
- Graph 34: willingness to try different types of brands, by city tier, 2024
- Product features with trade-up potential
- Making cleaning enjoyable and health benefits of disinfection are equally important
- Graph 35: product features with trade-up potential, 2024
- Fragrance and touch sensory experiences receive widespread attention, while post-1980s and post-1990s focus more on efficacy and ingredients
- Graph 36: product features with trade-up potential, by generation, 2024
- Focusing on the needs of ‘children & pets’ families for pet and child-friendly products
- Graph 37: product features with trade-up potential, by whether there are children and pets in the household, 2024
- Cleaning and purchasing behaviour preferences
- Improving cleaning efficiency becomes a top priority
- Graph 38: cleaning and purchasing behaviour preferences, 2024
- Cleaning videos that help reduce stress are popular among Gen Z
- Graph 39: selected cleaning and purchasing behaviours, by generation, 2024
- Women in Tier 1 cities pursue brand diversity, while women in Tier 2 and 3 cities tend to stockpile out of habit
- Graph 40: Purchasing behaviour (by city tier and gender), 2024
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Issues and insights
- Let cleaning products be more than just cleaners: make them the ‘seasoning’ of home living
- Add playful designs and max out the emotional value
- Step up the ‘dopamine’ aesthetics: pamper consumers’ senses of smell and sight
- Turn visions into actions: sustainable design throughout the whole product line
- Redefine ‘user-friendly’ packaging to lower the hidden usage threshold of eco-friendly concentrated products
- Sustainability without limits: infuse eco design into the whole product line
- From ‘furniture-friendly’ to ‘demographic-friendly’: more segmented innovation opportunities
- Introduce bio-based ingredients in formulations to upgrade exclusive care for children
- Love your pets: turn homes into healthy and friendly spaces for both humans and pets
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Appendix – methodology and abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
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