2025
9
US Consumers’ Path to Purchase – Spotlight on Household Items: 2025
2025-12-09T20:01:32+00:00
REP047C1F59_E64E_4DA6_8857_41C25B194FD0
4995
189471
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Report
en_GB
The household goods category is resilient amid economic disruption, driven by the essential nature of these products and consumers' reliance on them. Notably, 75% of consumers tend to stick to…
US
Retail
Household
simple

US Consumers’ Path to Purchase – Spotlight on Household Items: 2025

"Brands and retailers have multiple ways to spark discovery and build category knowledge. However, in the value-driven household category, offerings that genuinely upgrade daily life will capture today's consumer."

Marisa Ortega, Analyst - Retail & eCommerce

Marisa Ortega, Analyst - Retail & eCommerce

The household goods category is resilient amid economic disruption, driven by the essential nature of these products and consumers’ reliance on them. Notably, 75% of consumers tend to stick to the same brands/products when buying household items, highlighting the loyalty that exists in the category.

However, tariff-fueled inflation is leading to shifting consumer behaviors. Price comparison is common in the category, suggesting that consumers are still open to trading up and down when they perceive better value elsewhere. In response, established brands are refreshing icons (eg Brawny Man) to highlight their quality and protect their market share, while retailers focus on reward programs to strengthen consumer retention across age groups.

Looking ahead, the single biggest opportunity is for brands to move beyond pure function by embracing sensory wellbeing; brands can transform chores into moments of self-care through scent and ritual. The greatest threat is stubborn economic strain, which risks eroding disposable income and diminishing loyalty as shoppers trade up and down to private label or multipurpose products.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Economic pressure and increasing price sensitivity
  • Evolving household roles are driving the need for gender-inclusive, adaptable marketing approaches
  • Digital discovery is shifting as shoppers turn to social media and AI platforms
  • Brand familiarity, loyalty rewards and product reviews are critical factors driving purchase decisions
  • Sustainability as a differentiating factor for the modern consumer
  • Innovative areas include omnichannel discovery, sensory-driven wellbeing, accessibility tech and cross-category collaborations
Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for consumers’ path to purchase – spotlight on household items
    • Opportunities
    • Guided discovery and learning
    • Seek well-rounded ethical credentials beyond green claims
    • Leverage the power of wellbeing
    • Inclusive loyalty ecosystems
  2. THE MARKET

    • Market context
    • Redefine everyday living by going beyond product function
    • Technology is reshaping the consumer journey
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Shopping responsibility
    • Roles in the household are evolving
    • Graph 1: shopping responsibility, by gender and age, 2025
    • Items purchased
    • Quieter lifestyles lead to more time for the home
    • Graph 2: items purchased, by area, 2025
    • Discovery sources
    • Social media and AI platforms are key channels to engage younger shoppers
    • Graph 3: discovery sources, by age, 2025
    • Digital channels complement the role of the physical store in discovery
    • Gain meets younger consumers on Snapchat
    • Trusted sources for information
    • Drive discovery and knowledge through social media and AI platforms
    • Graph 4: trusted sources for information, by age, 2025
    • Shopping behaviors
    • Businesses must be strategic in their pricing strategies to remain competitive
    • Sustainability matters to the modern consumer
    • Sustainable certifications are foundational for certain brands
    • Factors influencing brand/retailer choice
    • Consumers tend to favor brands and products they recognize
    • Graph 5: factors influencing brand/retailer choice, 2025
    • Brawny reinforces its promise through the iconic Brawny Man
    • Appeal to middle-aged shoppers through rewards
    • Attitudes toward shopping for household items
    • From word-of-mouth to likes and shares: the new age of brand advocacy
    • Consumers seek validation when shopping
    • Public Goods encourages product reviews
    • Option overload is a pain point in the consumer journey, particularly for younger consumers
    • Graph 6: attitudes toward shopping for household items – any agree, by age, 2025
    • Leverage educational content to earn consumers’ trust
    • Ensueño simplifies laundry care
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Arm & Hammer aligns with consumers’ behaviors
    • Downy launches new luxury-scented laundry beads
    • Laundry brand DedCool partners with Free People Movement
    • Air Wick creates scent-inspired mood boards
    • all free clear makes laundry easier for those with low vision or blindness
  5. APPENDIX

    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • TURF methodology
    • How to read: TURF analysis
    • US generation groups
    • Abbreviations

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