While 60% of German consumers agree that single-use cleaning products are bad for the environment, 47% struggle to tell which products are actually sustainable.
As financially healthy younger consumers assume more cleaning responsibilities, brands can speak to their greater interest in cleaning robots to further penetrate the market with automated cleaning equipment.
While 60% of German consumers agree that single-use cleaning products are bad for the environment, 47% struggle to tell which products are actually sustainable. This confusion is likely caused by the lack of standardised sustainability claims, and brands should therefore clearly label their packaging to indicate if their product is wash-friendly.
Price increases in the category continue to weigh on consumers’ ability to purchase electronic floor equipment, but the lower end of the market, such as manual cleaning equipment, is less exposed based on its needs-driven usage and low prices.
Adaptation of automated future technologies will be slow, considering that half of cleaning robot non-users don’t use them because the purchase price is too high. Manual cleaning brands are therefore poised to highlight their ability to clean corners, stairs and other hard-to-reach areas. Using AI to speed up the innovation process of new products – such as more-efficient shapes for mop heads – will give such brands an edge.
This reportexamines the retail market for household cleaning equipment, including the following product categories:
This market definition excludes disposable wipes and antibacterial cleaning wipes, which are covered in Mintel’s Germany Toilet and Hard Surface Care Market Report.
Yasemin joined Mintel in October 2022 as a Household Care Research Analyst in Germany. Prior to working at Mintel, Yasemin worked as a Consumer Insights Analyst. She holds a M.A. in Brand Management and a B.Sc. in Clothing Technology/Fabric Processing.
Brands can embrace younger consumers’ higher interest in and use of cleaning robots, and manual cleaning brands have a significant opportunity to innovate with products for hard-to-each areas (eg pre-fillable mops, triangle shaped mops).
Yasemin Holtemayer
Household Care Research Analyst, Germany
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
