Ongoing cost pressures continue to influence household care behaviours, with price sensitivity limiting engagement with newer brands/products. This is particularly evident for emerging players, as 66% of household care buyers…
UK
Household
simple
UK Attitudes towards Household Care Brands: 2026
"Emerging brands must lower barriers to trial, while proving value, as social discovery and shifting expectations expand competition beyond performance into trust, safety and experience."
Ongoing cost pressures continue to influence household care behaviours, with price sensitivity limiting engagement with newer brands/products. This is particularly evident for emerging players, as 66% of household care buyers say high prices would prevent them from purchasing these brands, highlighting hesitation at the point of purchase.
This creates a more demanding landscape for brands, where products need to justify their place more clearly within constrained budgets. Consumers are weighing choices more carefully, with unfamiliar options more likely to be overlooked unless they offer a compelling reason to be considered alongside established or lower-cost alternatives.
At the same time, new routes to engagement are developing. Social media influences how products are discovered and experienced, and word of mouth is also crucial for brand discovery. Lifestyle-led behaviours are expanding what consumers expect from everyday routines. Brands that can connect performance with more distinctive, value-adding features will be better placed to prompt consideration and encourage experimentation in a cautious spending environment.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
The impact of cost pressures on willingness to try emerging household care brands
How channel shifts towards discounters and online are reshaping brand choice and visibility
The role of safety concerns and skin sensitivity in product preference
Rising scepticism towards sustainability claims and need for clearer proof points
The influence of social media and word of mouth on brand discovery and trial
Diverging consumer priorities between performance-led and safety-led product selection
Preferred innovation styles in the household care market
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
The outlook for household care brand preferences
Opportunities
Lean into lifestyle trends to expand value beyond core performance
Reframe sustainability through human-safe chemistry to rebuild trust in eco claims
Lower the cost of entry to allow emerging brands to compete at the point of choice
THE MARKET
Continued financial pressures create a tough environment
Graph 1: spending intentions in select household categories, 2025
Channel shifts will impact brand preferences
Graph 2: UK retail channels used to buy household care products, 2026
Skin sensitivities influence brand preferences
Sustainability claims face greater scrutiny
Social media is lowering barriers for challenger brands
New disruptors find different routes to stand out
THE CONSUMER
Brand heritage influences product perception and discovery
Performance perceptions keep consumers interested in established brands
Social media is at the heart of brand discovery
Emerging brands can use content to connect with new consumers
Human influence is still crucial for brand growth
Make eco products credible and accessible
Evidentiate claims for consumers who do their homework
Unlock access to eco ranges in mainstream shopping channels
Improve assortment via brand accelerator initiatives
Value sensitivity impacts selection between branded and own-label products
Price sensitivity limits trial of new brands
Own-label moves beyond price
Remove price barriers at the brand experimentation stage
Heritage holds value
Reinforce the value of established names in changing routines
Generational split in safety and performance priorities
Performance is the core expectation for older consumers
Align product safety with sustainability
Traditional vs experimental mindsets towards innovation
The importance of familiarity and trust
Performance-led innovation better fits traditional shoppers
Graph 3: household care product buyers’ preference for traditional or experimental innovation, by generation, 2026
Add value beyond performance for experimental enthusiasts
PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
The saturation of eco claims makes standing out more difficult
Graph 4: share of household care launches carrying ethical & environmental claims, 2021-26
Format innovation can drive eco differentiation
Antibac loses relevance with safer cleaning demands
Established brands are also providing safer cleaning approaches
Tallow + Ash is appealing through sensorial elements
Experiential marketing can help build familiarity and trust
APPENDIX
Report scope
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology
UK generation groups
Abbreviations
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