Consumers want gentle, skin-friendly formulas and plant-based substrates across the household and personal care wipes market. Demand is especially strong for disinfecting wipes that use gentle, natural ingredients.
Outside the US, there are growing mandates for plant-based substrates. This influences innovation within the US due to the globally consolidated nature of the wipes market and the need for a standardized asset base. This circumstance is making the market leaders greener, while making it harder for eco brands to differentiate from the mainstream. This is also an opportunity for eco brands to differentiate around tree-free wipes substrates because market leaders are building their supply chains around wood pulp.
One surprising finding from Mintel’s survey is that parents place the most stock in the sustainability benefits of natural wipes, but are simultaneously the most likely to believe that natural wipes come with a performance deficiency. Brands should consider this a call to action to merge sustainability, performance and affordability.
Overall, the report illustrates a sector at a pivotal point, where consumer-driven sustainability demands, regulatory influences, and innovation intersect. Companies that can respond to these challenges will be well-positioned to lead in this increasingly competitive market.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Market size, forecast and segment performance for household and personal care wipes
- Company and brand share
- Competitive strategies and market opportunities
- Household penetration by wipe format
- Consumer purchase drivers
- Interest in wipes innovations
- Attitudes towards wipes
- Brand perceptions
Regulatory pressures and consumer demand are driving a shift to natural fiber wipes.
Jamie Rosenberg, Associate Director, Global Household and Personal Care
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
- Personal care wipes including Baby wipes, flushable moist wipes, facial skincare/bodycare and makeup wipes
- Household wipes include all-purpose surface cleaning wipes, specialty surface wipes, disinfecting wipes, bathroom wipes, floor wipes, furniture polish wipes
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Confidence belies economic performance
- Graph 1: Consumer Price Index change from previous period, 2019-24
- Confidence is growing amid low unemployment and declining inflation
- Graph 2: Consumer confidence vs unemployment, 2018-24
- Prepare for European wipes regs to influence some US states
- Market size and forecast
- The wipes market is showing robust growth and a slow but steady transition to cellulosic substrates
- Retail sales and forecast of wipes
- Segment performance
- Consider the discretionary nature of wipes
- Retail sales of wipes, by segment, in current vs. inflation-adjusted dollars
- Graph 3: total retail sales and forecast of wipes, by segment, at current prices, 2019-29
- Graph 4: total retail sales and forecast of wipes, by segment, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2019-29
- Household spend is reflective of high inflation
- Market share/brand share
- Sales of wipes, by company
- Expect market leaders to merge sustainability and affordability
- Private label overtakes Clorox as the household wipes share leader; challenger brands lose relevance
- Private label leads the personal care wipes market, but small challenger brands show the fastest growth
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Innovation and Marketing strategies
- Prepare for a tidal wave of natural wipes
- Technology is catching up with consumer need
- Graph 5: wipes with ANY biobased fiber, by product segment, 2015-24
- Innovate gentler disinfecting ingredients along with cellulosic substrates
- Plant-based wipes with gentle disinfecting ingredients
- Target parents with safer disinfecting wipes
- Graph 6: consumers who use disinfecting wipes daily, by parental status, 2024
- Monitor professional wipes with consumer potential
- Professional disinfecting wipes are finding effective formulas for use with natural substrates
- Plan for a shifting eco leadership role for personal care wipes
- Plant-based baby wipes from major name brands and retailer brands
- Tree-based wipes will create new sustainability concerns
- Eco-niche baby brands can use tree-free status to differentiate from the mainstream
- Baby wipes that are well-positioned against the threat from natural mainstream brands
- Expect a push for clearer labeling of plant-based wipes
- Wipes should reflect the growing role of fragrance in homecare
- Recently launched bio-based household wipes that use natural fragrance and/or aromatherapy claims
- Aromatherapy is better established in babycare and personal care
- Consider how synthetics can also raise the sustainability bar
- Look for unbleached claims as the definition of a sustainable wipe evolves
- Spotlight on flushable moist wipes (FMWs)
- Better labeling along with new sewage clog studies could ease the pushback against flushable wipes
- There’s an opportunity to grow FMW awareness among seniors
- Graph 7: use of FMWs, by age, 2024
- Better labelling and dispersibility are important, but, many consumers willfully flush non-flushable wipes
- Better labeling and dispersibility are important, but, many consumers willfully flush non-flushable wipes
- Graph 8: consumers who believe that wipes cause clogs vs. those who flush non-flushable wipes, 2024
- Parents are a key segment for more varied FMWs
- Graph 9: interest in hand and face wipes that can be flushed down the toilet, by parental status, 2024
- Eco niche brands are using best-in-class flushable substrates
- Loo Wipes build a niche with recyclable packaging
- Store brands are also sourcing natural FMWs
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Product usage
- Task-specific wipes are a product of the well-to-do
- Whether for babies or adults, most personal care wipes are used below the waist
- Graph 10: personal care wipes penetration, by format, 2024
- Disinfecting wipes are the top format
- Graph 11: penetration of household wipes, 2024
- Skin-friendly formulas and strong substrates will capture the most consumers
- Task-specific wipes are a product of the well-to-do
- Graph 12: use of task-specific surface wipes vs consumers who use no household wipes, by income, 2024
- Purchase criteria
- Consumers want plant-based wipes as long as they don’t compromise performance
- Off-label wipes usage is pervasive
- Skin-friendly formulas and strong substrates will capture the most consumers
- Graph 13: top attributes sought by consumers for household and personal care wipes, 2024
- Seniors represent an underleveraged growth opportunity
- Seniors want wipes that are skin-friendly and strong
- Graph 14: selected preferred wipes attributes, by age, 2024
- Usage behaviors
- Off-label use is both an opportunity and a threat
- Off-label wipes usage is pervasive
- Graph 15: off-label uses of household and personal care wipes, by age and parental status, 2024
- Target parents as frequent users of disinfecting wipes
- Graph 16: Consumers who use disinfecting wipes daily, by parental status, 2024
- Interest in innovations
- Think about new ways to merge performance and sustainability
- Demand will be strong for tougher household wipes with natural disinfectants and substrates
- Graph 17: interest in wipes innovations, 2024
- Wipes that extend across both household and personal care are a strong opportunity
- Parents are especially enthusiastic about wipes for both surface cleaning and personal care use
- Graph 18: interest in wipes that can be used for both household and personal care, by parental status, 2024
- There could be opportunity for more comprehensive outdoor preparedness kits
- Graph 19: interest in wipes for treating bites and stings, by parental status, 2024
- Attitudes toward wipes
- Consumer attitudes suggest that wipes still need a reputation overhaul
- Many believe that wipes are bad for the environment and sewer systems, and that natural wipes are the answer
- Graph 20: attitudes toward wipes, 2024
- Brand perceptions
- Reduce the perceived dichotomy between effective, sustainable and safe
- Household wipes: Clorox and Lysol are perceived as most effective
- Graph 21: household wipe brand associations, 2024
- Eco wipes brands need to reach out to older consumers
- Graph 22: method wipes perception around being effective, sustainable and safe, 2024
- Personal care wipes: Wet Ones and Pampers are most essential; Water Wipes needs to reevaluate it’s USP
- Graph 23: personal care wipes brand associations, 2024
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
- Household care wipes: average price and value
- Personal care wipes: average price and value
- Retail channels
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