Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Detergents: Global Perspectives

278 Pages·1994·23.697 MB·English

by  Arno Cahn

Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference
on Detergents:
Global Perspectives
Editor
Arno Cahn
Arno Cahn Consulting Services, Inc.
Pearl River, New York
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
AOCS Mission Statement
To be a forum for the exchange of ideas, information and experience among those with a professional interest in the science
and technology of fats, oils and related substances in ways that promote personal excellence and
provide for a high standard of quality.
AOCS Books and Special Publications Committee
E. Perkins, chairperson, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
T. Applewhite, Austin, Texas
J. Bauer, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
T. Foglia, USDA–ERRC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
W. Hausmann, Lou Ana Foods, Inc., Opelousas, Louisiana
Y.-S. Huang, Ross Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio
L. Johnson, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
J. Lynn, Lever Brothers Co., Edgewater, New Jersey
G. Maerker, Oreland, Pennsylvania
G. Nelson, Western Regional Research Center, San Francisco, California
F. Orthoefer, Riceland Foods Inc., Stuttgart, Arizona
J. Rattray, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
A. Sinclair, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
T. Smouse, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Decatur, Illinois
G. Szajer, Akzo Chemicals, Dobbs Ferry, New York
L. Witting, State College, Pennsylvania
Copyright © 1994 by AOCS Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means without written permission of the publisher.
The paper used in this book is acid-free and falls within the guidelines established to ensure permanence and durability.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
World Conference on Detergents: Global Perspectives (3rd: 1993:
Montreux, Switzerland)
Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Detergents: Global
Perspectives/editor, Amo Cahn.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-935315-52-7
1. Detergents—Congresses. I. Cahn, Arno. II. Title.
TP992.5W67 1993
667'.14—dc20 94-8065
CIP
Printed in the United States of America with vegetable oil–based inks.
98 97 5 4 3 2
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
Preface
In September 1993, some 1,044 people (registrants, compan- industry in the 7 years since the last World Conference in
ions, and exhibitors) from 56 countries gathered in 1986.
Montreux, Switzerland for the 3rd World Conference and In a way, the speakers in 1993 had an easier task than did
Exhibition on Detergents: Global Perspectives. Like its two their predecessors in 1986. Much more has happened in the
forerunners, the 1993 Conference was the end result of much last 7 years than in the previous 9—from the globalization of
effort by its steering committee, chaired and vicechaired by business, the rise of the Asia–Pacific region, heightened envi-
David Scharer of Shell Chemical Company and Hans ronmental awareness worldwide, to the introduction of com-
Verbeek of Henkel KGaA, respectively. For the third time, pact detergents, concentrated liquids, new surfactants from
Kurt Gehri of the Union der Seifen- und Waschmittel-fab- renewable resources, new builders, new fabric softeners, new
rikanten der Schweiz served as local chairperson and, enzymes, new bleaching systems, new fluorescent whitening
together with the American Oil Chemists’Society staff, pro- agents, and new polymers—new everything, it seems. Since
duced what we have to come to expect as a truly well-run 1986, the world of detergents has changed almost beyond
conference in convention facilities that offered not only a recognition—against a backdrop of events that have made
fine lecture hall and spacious exhibition areas, but also many the world at large equally unrecognizable.
comfortable—and much-used—spaces for informal, one-on- If only a fraction of what the speakers forecast is on the
one discussions. mark, the pace of innovation in the detergent industry will
Viewed against the background of a difficult economic continue to accelerate. Speakers at the Fourth World
climate worldwide, the record attendance in 1993 is testi- Conference may have an even fuller plate of technical devel-
mony to the value and usefulness that this global forum for opments. Until then, the record of the Third World
the exchange of information on detergents has acquired Conference collected in these proceedings will, I am confi-
since its beginning in 1977. The rainy weather notwith- dent, serve as a worthwhile, wide-angle snapshot of “the way
standing, the conferees were not disappointed. In nearly 40 we were” in 1993.
lectures and more than 20 poster presentations, they were
treated to a comprehensive and authoritative update on
what has happened worldwide in—and to—the detergent Arno Cahn
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
Contents
Conference Chairpersons Product Trends in the European Detergent
and Cleaner Market
General Chairperson: David H. Scharer, Shell Chemical
H.-D. Graffmann 43
Company
Vice Chairperson/United States: Jerome H. Collins, The
Session 4: Approach to Environment
Procter & Gamble Company
and Health Assessment
Vice Chairperson/Europe: Hans Verbeek, Henkel KGaA
Local Chairperson: Kurt Gehri, Verband der Chairpersons: G. Pflug, The Soap and Detergent
Schweizerischen Seifen- und Waschmittelindustrie SWI Association, and F.R. Hogeman, Ethyl Corporation
Environmental Safety Assessment of Detergents
Session 1: Global Business Trends P.A. Gilbert 50
Chairpersons: D.H. Scharer, Shell Chemical Company, Human Health Risk Assessment: Focus on Enzymes
andK. Gehri, Verband der Schweizerischen Seifen- und K. Sarlo 54
Waschmittelindustrie SWI
Life Cycle Assessment: A New Business Tool?
Leading a Changing Industry into the Twenty-First C. Fussler 58
Century
A.G. Lafley 1
Session 5: Technology Developments
The World Economic Outlook: What Recovery? in Laundry Products
W. Gasser 9
-
Chairpersons: K.Oba, Lion Corporation, and P. Sosis,
Witco Corporation
Session 2: Regional Environmental
and Regulatory Trends Laundry Technology Trends in the Americas
J.K. Grime 64
Chairpersons: H. Verbeek, Henkel KGaA, and C.P. Mancel,
Technology Developments in Laundry Products:
Procter & Gamble Europe
Powders/Liquids in Europe
European Environmental and Regulatory Trends A.E. Lee 71
H.R. Bircher 14
Laundry Detergents in Asian and Pacific Countries
An Overview of Environmental and Regulatory A. Suzuki 75
Trends in the Americas
Laundry Bars and Detergent Pastes: Worldwide
D.R. Wright 19
S.Grey 82
Environmental and Regulatory Trends in Asia
Fabric Softeners Worldwide
T. Yanagawa 25
U. Sebold 88
Session 3: Regional Product Trends
Session 6: Technology Developments
Chairpersons: H.N. Moulden, Unilever Research, in OtherCleaning Products Worldwide
and O. Okumura, Lion-AKZO Company
Chairpersons: A. Cahn, Arno Cahn Consulting Services
Soap and Detergent Product Trends in Asian
Inc., and D. Connor, Albright and Wilson Ltd.
and Pacific Countries
M. Tsumadori 32 Developing Trends in the Area of Light-Duty Liquids
H. Andree and B. Middelhauve 95
Progress and Change: Industry Drivers
in the Americas Hard-Surface Cleaner Development Worldwide
J.W. Leikhim 38 A. Somers 99
v
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
vi Contents
Machine Dishwashing Detergents Detergent Polymers
R.F. Lake 108 J. Perner 168
Technology Developments in Industrial
Hydrogen Peroxide Carriers
and Institutional Cleaners
A. Dorfer and T. Lieser 174
O.A. Ossanna 111
Activators and Peracids
P. Jürges 178
Session 7: Trends in Surfactant Raw Material Sources
Human and Environmental Safety of Hypochlorite
Chairpersons: A.M. Raymond, Shell Chemical Company,
and R. Tsushima, Kao Corporation W.L. Smith 183
The Basis of Detergents: Basic Oleochemicals The Changing Face of Fluorescent Whitening Agent
P. Hövelmann 117 Requirements in the 1990s—A New Approach
C.Eckhardt, J. Kasching, K. Franke, F. Lee,
Trends in Surfactant Raw Materials: Petrochemicals
and F. Ergenc 193
W.J.B. Vogel 123
Session 8: Trends in Ingredient Technology Session 10: Trends in Ingredient Technology
Worldwide I—Surfactants Worldwide III—Enzymes
Chairpersons: J.H. Collins, Procter & Gamble Company, Chairpersons: D. Richardson, Colgate-Palmolive
and U. Cuntze, Hoechst AG Company, and P. Dhaese, Solvay, S.A.
Growth and Developments in Linear Alkylbenzene
Enzymes for Laundry Products
Technologies: Thirty Years of Innovation and More
E. Gormsen, P. Rosholm and M. Lykke 198
to Come
J.L. Berna, A. Moreno, A. Banerji, T.R. Fritsch,
Safe and Beneficial Application of Enzymes
and B.V. Vora 127
in Automatic Dishwashing Detergents
Methyl Ester Sulfonates: A Surfactant Based J.H. van Ee, W.C. van Rijswijk, and M. Bollier 204
on Natural Fats
T. Satsuki 135
Ethylene Oxide-Derived Surfactants Session 11: Globalization Trends
M.F. Cox 141 in the Detergents Business
Sugar-Derived Surfactants
Chairperson: D.H. Scharer, Shell Chemical Company
B. Brancq 147
Globalization: Market Challenges and Management
Low Foaming Surfactants in Domestic
Responses
Detergents—Challenges in the 1990s
K. Kashani 208
P. Hepworth 151
Performance of Specialty Surfactants in Laundry
and Household-Cleaning Applications
PosterPresentations
F.E. Friedli, M.M. Watts, A. Domsch, D.A. Tanner,
R.D. Pifer, and J.G. Fuller 156 Functional Properties of Zeolite NaA/Silicate-Based
Builder Systems
R.P. Denkewicz, Jr., and E.v.R. Borgstedt 213
Session 9: Trends in Ingredient Technology
Norasol 102: A Novel Polycarboxylate for Improving
Worldwide II—Builders, Bleaches, and Specialties
Floor Cleaners
Chairpersons: P. Zini, NorsoHaas S.A., and O. de Clermont- F. Gauthier 221
Tonnerre, Rhône Poulenc
(cid:2)-Olefins from Oleochemical Raw Materials:
Builders: Ecology, Cost, and Performance The Godrej-Lurgi Process
H.-P. Rieck 161 N.B. Godrej, M.S. Thakur, S.K. Suri, and K. Ruthardt 222
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
Contents vii
(cid:2)-Olefinsulfonates from Renewable Resources: A New Sulfonation-Sulfation Multitube Reactor
Studies on Fabric Detergency at Low Temperatures M. Principi 253
N.B. Godrej, M.S. Thakur, and S.K. Suri 228
A New Detergent Cobuilder
Anaerobic Biodegradation: Environmental Relevance D.P. Salter 255
J.E. Heinze and L.N. Britton 235
Borates: The Multifunctional Detergent Ingredients
Possibilities for Application of 2,3-Epoxypropanol-1 in R.A. Walker, M.J. Greenhill-Hooper, and K. Quill 257
Surfactant Synthesis
The Surfactant Industry in China: Current Situation
B.B. Klopotek 240
J. Xia 263
Factors Which Influence Surfactant (LAS) Toxicity in
High-Purity, Concentrated Anionic Surfactants from
Aquatic Ecosystems
Improved Sulfonation and Vacuum-Neutralization
J.P. Mieure, M.L. Trehy, and R.A. Kimerle 245
Technology
Sugar Lipids in Hand Dishwashing Liquids G.F. Moretti, I. Adami, and F. Nava 267
A. Milius, C. Amalric, and B. Brancq 248
Novel High Density Dry Polymers for Detergent
Applications
A. Pilides 251
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
Leading a Changing Industry into the Twenty-First Century
A. G. Lafley
The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH, USA
I am optimistic about the future of the soap and detergent War ended abruptly. Gorbachev led with a new message of
industry. The next 7 years could be a period of unprecedented Glasnost and Perestroika. Yeltsin followed with elections, a par-
worldwide growth in laundry, household-cleaning, and liament, a free press, and a free market economy. By 1991, the
personal-cleaning markets. Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc had disintegrated into 12
We will have our challenges. We will need to stay abreast independent Eastern European countries, three Baltic states, and
of consumers and their needs, maintain a fast pace of product an 11-member Commonwealth of Independent States. In the Far
innovation, develop more versatile products that satisfy con- East, Japan became well-established as a world economic
sumer needs, and continually improve the consumer value leader. The shadow of Tiananmen Square receded, and China’s
equation. We will need to create better-performing products, virtually untapped market of 1.2 billion consumers beckoned.
with fewer dissatisfiers, at lower prices. Finally, we will need Latin America made steady progress toward more stable
to create an environmental agenda that protects growth. governments which allowed for strong economic growth and
But, at the same time, we will also have major opportuni- more regular participation in the global economy. In June,
ties to globalize the soap and detergent industry; develop and 1992, Brazil hosted 178 nations at the first Earth Summit in
grow markets in Eastern Europe, Russia, China, India, the Rio de Janeiro.
Middle East, and Africa. To capitalize on these opportunities, The Middle East sought to govern its own destiny, and to
we must work more cooperatively with related industries that settle old feuds through negotiation. With watershed agree-
serve the same end-consumers, such as the retail trade, wash- ments between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization
ing-machine manufacturers, and the garment and textile underway and agreements with Jordan and Syria within reach,
industries; and become an industry known for visionary the region began to turn its attention to economic growth.
leadership, innovation in the service of consumer needs, and In Africa, despite a frightening AIDS epidemic, famine,
commitment to consumer satisfaction and value. and persistent political unrest, several countries such as
Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zaire moved
towards more stable political and free market economies.
AChanging World, a Changing Industry
In Europe and North America, mature economic and polit-
Consider the rapid pace of change in our world and in our ical systems continued to evolve. New political parties and
industry. This is important because how we cope with change personalities took power as the “go-go” 1980s turned into the
will determine how rapidly our industry will grow in the “slow-growth” 1990s.
coming years. Maintaining prosperity during periods of pro- Both North America and Europe have experienced mild
found, sometimes chaotic change, requires leadership. Our recessions. But, economic growth has been returning, albeit at
industry needs to lead consumers and related industries. a slower and hopefully steadier pace. The privatization of gov-
To lead consumers, the end-users of our products, we ernment-owned and -operated industries has accelerated in
must know who they are and what their needs will be. Then, England and France. Germany has focused on reunification.
our industry must dedicate itself to innovation to meet con- North America and Europe have moved toward stronger
sumer needs. regional economic alliances. NAFTA, which would form a trad-
To lead related industries, the retail trade, washing machine, ing bloc of 370 million people with a combined GDPof nearly
textile and garment industries, we need to understand and $7 trillion, hopefully will be ratified before the end of 1993.
cooperate with them as they, too, attempt to satisfy these same Ratification of the Maastricht Treaty began in 1991. By the year
consumers’needs. We need to comprehend fully that related 2000, Europe should come together into one mature economic
industries are indeed interrelated and that innovation in one market of 340 million people with a combined GDPof $9 trillion.
industry will have a corresponding impact on another. Our global village is bustling. The world economy is
growing, increasingly interconnected and consumer- and
market-driven. In developing countries, free market
Worldwide Economic and Political Change
economies are springing up, regardless of the political form
Since the last AOCS Conference in 1986, we have wit- of government. Common consumer needs and desires,
nessed profound changes in our world. In Russia and regional and global markets, and media that transcend
Eastern Europe, the Iron Curtain unraveled and the Cold national boundaries, such as satellite TVstations, are bringing
1
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
2 A.G. Lafley
us together into one global market economy. Marshall across the developed world and into developing regions like
McLuhan’s prophecy has become a reality: “Ours is a world Latin America, Eastern Europe, India, and China.
of all-at-once-ness ... We are one global village....” Compact powders have spawned concentrated liquids,
The point is this: worldwide change is inevitable, ubiqui- which first appeared in Europe in the fall of 1991, and in the
tous, and accelerating. Change is bringing us together into United States in early 1992. When compacts are executed
one global economy, driven by a common desire for con- properly, they are a big advantage for our industry:
sumer products and services that make daily life more live-
1. Consumers receive better performance, a broader “bundle
able and enjoyable.
of benefits,” including improved cleaning, more conven-
ience, and higher environmental quality—for an equal or
AChanging and Growing Industry
lower price per use.
Our industry will be forced to deal with more, faster, and less 2. Trade customers enjoy lower distribution, storage, shelv-
predictable change than ever before. Leading change is the ing, and display costs.
best way to guarantee the continued growth of our industry. 3. Manufacturers benefit from lower product, packaging,
Industries which fail to recognize and lead change risk manufacturing, and distribution costs.
becoming its victims. Continued growth is critical because it 4. Raw material suppliers encounter lower capital, energy,
is the best guarantee of continued prosperity. manufacturing, and distribution costs. Plus, they have the
The laundry, hard-surface, and personal cleaning products opportunity to develop a broader palette of chemical ingre-
business is already big. Estimated worldwide dollar sales dients to create superior-performing, more volume-and
were $55-60 billion in 1992. The average annual increase in weight-efficient products.
tonnage was 7% from 1986 to 1993.
This is an excellent example of our industry leading
Our industry is about to become truly global and a lot big-
change, but compacts are not the only example of innovation
ger. In the next 7 years, the industry will change and grow much
in detergents. Outside of Europe, high-performing detergents
faster than at any time in its history. We should see another 50%
with activated bleach have expanded into North America,
increase in the consumption of our products worldwide if we
Japan, India, the Philippines, Mexico, and the Middle East.
can create greater consumer satisfaction and value.
These detergents deliver superior stain-removal and whiten-
ing performance. While priced higher to cover higher for-
Major Laundry Detergent, Hard-Surface,
mula cost, bleach-containing detergents are rated higher for
and Personal Cleaning Products Trends,
overall satisfaction and value by users.
1986–1993
We are also beginning to see laundry detergent innovation
beyond cleaning soils and stains. In Europe, North America,
Laundry Detergents. In laundry detergents, the single Latin America, and Japan, color-safe detergents have been intro-
biggest change has been the introduction of compact powders duced. These products, designed to clean colored garments,
and concentrated liquids. The Kao Corporation of Japan improve color fidelity by reducing color fading and dye transfer.
started a revolution when it introduced Attack, its compact
powder product, in 1987. Within 2 years, the Japanese pow- Retailer Private Labels. Retailer private labels have been
der detergent market converted to compacts. much in the media in Europe and in the United States in the
By the spring of 1989, compact powders were being last year. It is important to distinguish fact from fiction in the
introduced into Europe; by the fall, they expanded into context of our industry and private labels. The key issues for
the United States. Today, compact powders are spreading our industry are these: Will laundry and cleaning categories
see an increase in private label sales? and Are private labels
good for industry growth and health?
In some parts of the world, retailer private labels have sig-
nificant shares across all product categories. In 1992, private
label brands’share of total food store unit volume was 36%
in the United Kingdom, 24% in The Netherlands and West
Germany, and 20% in Belgium, France, Spain, Canada, and
the United States.
Selling private labels is a core strategy for some retailers.
At Sainsbury’s, the United Kingdom’s largest food retailer
with sales of $16 billion, private labels make up 53% of dol-
lar sales and 60% of unit volume. Private labels are still
growing at Sainsbury’s.
At Loblaws, Canada’s largest grocery retailer with sales of
$9.2 billion, private labels account for 32% of dollar sales and
Fig. 1. Kao’s compact detergent. 37% of unit sales. Private labels are still growing at Loblaws.
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
Leading a Changing Industry into the Twenty-First Century 3
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, sells three broad only when they offer equal performance and quality at sig-
lines of private label products—Equate, Great Value, and nificantly lower prices.
Sam’s Choice. It is rumored that Wal-Mart will enter the Private labels are a barometer of the health of the soap and
laundry detergent category this year (Fig. 2). Finally, Aldi in detergent industry. Some private label presence in the market
Germany commands a 10–15% market share with a product is good, because it keeps the industry on its toes. Private label
line-up that is exclusively private label. competition spurs innovation to improve performance and
Retailers like private labels, not only because they quality, and puts pressure on costs and prices to keep consumer
improve retailer margins and profits, but also because private value high. If private labels gain significant market share, this
labels provide a way to build shopper loyalty in a very com- is a clear indication of slowing innovation and rising prices. It
petitive industry that is consolidating rapidly. With their own is a warning sign that detergents are becoming commodities.
private labels, retailers are “branding” their stores and
Laundry Product Packaging. There has been a revolution in
thereby distinguishing themselves from the competition.
laundry detergent packaging. We went through a period in the
Branded manufacturers’pricing and promotion practices have
1970s and 1980s where we added features to improve package
created an environment where private labels can grow. Heavy
functionality and convenience. Now, we are in a period where
trade allowances and frequent consumer promotion discounts
“small is beautiful” and “less is more.” Package innovation
have undermined the price integrity and value image of manufac-
that delivers superior consumer value will move quickly
turers’brands. Given this, manufacturers must deliver superior
around the world. With the move to more compact and concen-
performing products at more competitive costs, restore list-pric-
trated products, we are reducing packaging and solid waste.
ing integrity, and clean up inefficient trade promotion programs.
At the same time, packaging is increasingly made of recy-
Category by category, customer by customer, private labels
cled material and is recyclable for future reuse. In Europe,
have been most successful in categories that have become
North America, and Japan refills have been expanded for
commodities. Examples include foods and generic drugs
detergent and fabric conditioner products. Refills have been
(where the generic medication is identical to the branded med-
so popular that they represent as much as one-half of the
ication). In addition, private labels have grown in a few high-
business in leading countries. Consumers find refills func-
priced household product categories like diapers, where a con-
tional, a better environmental choice, and a better value, as
sumer may spend up to $500–600 a year to diaper one child.
packaging savings are passed along in lower prices.
In the laundry and cleaning categories, private labels have
not made major inroads in most geographic locations. In the
Fabric Conditioners. Since 1986, the fabric conditioner cat-
United States, private labels accounted for a 7.2% share of laun-
egory has witnessed the introduction of more effective and
dry consumption in 1982 (at the end of the 1981–82 recession).
efficient softener actives, more biodegradable active ingredi-
To date in 1993, private labels account for only a 5.2% share.
ents, and fabric-substantive scent choices that meet the needs
Consumer brand loyalty is alive and well in the U.S.
of different consumer segments. Perfume choice and fabric
laundry business. This is because branded laundry deter-
substantivity are important for this category because fresh-
gents are consumer-noticeably superior in performance to
ness is an integral part of the softness benefit. In addition,
private labels; there is a wide range of brand offerings at a
fabric softeners, much as laundry detergents, have moved to
wide range of price points, including well-established price
more compact and concentrated products, refills, and recy-
brands; and through cost control by the industry, laundry
clable packaging made from recycled materials.
detergents have remained relatively low-price purchases.
As a result of these factors, branded detergents offer greater Dishwashing Products. Since 1986, the dishwashing
consumer value. By contrast, private labels can succeed product category has experienced the introduction of new
Fig. 2. Wal-Mart private label brands. Fig. 3. Laundry detergent refills.
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press
4 A.G. Lafley
surfactants that clean grease more effectively and efficiently.
New surfactants that clean grease and provide superior hand
mildness have also been introduced. In the United States and
Canada, consumers have responded positively to clear dish-
washing liquids that promise “no trade-off” between clean-
ing and mildness. Finally, new product forms are appearing
worldwide, including more concentrated liquids in Europe,
super-concentrated gels in Latin America, and more com-
pact powder automatic dishwasher detergents in Europe and
North America. If well executed, these products will deliver
the same “bundle of benefits” as compact detergents and
fabric conditioners and will achieve market place success.
Household Cleaners. Household cleaners have experi-
enced significant new activity. In the United States, bleach
cleaners have been popular. Clorox Clean-Up was introduced
in 1991 and quickly became the second highest seller in the
entire household cleaning category. We have seen several
new bathroom cleaning products in Western Europe and
North America. These include liquid cleaners and sprays for- Fig. 4. All-purpose household cleaner sprays.
mulated for improved cleaning of tough bathroom soils like
hard-water stains, lime scale, and soap scum.
In the United States, we have seen new all-purpose sprays
that clean windows and hard surfaces without streaking.
These products have created a new spray cleaner segment that
has achieved a combined share of almost 20% of the glass and
all-purpose spray market. Finally, we are beginning to see the
first concentrated products, refills, and recyclable packaging.
Personal Cleaning. In personal cleaning, the focus of inno-
vation has been on improving in-use convenience and skin
mildness. Western Europe has led the development of bath
gels and liquids, which now account for one-half the market
in Europe and one-third of the market in Japan. In the United
States, we have seen the introduction of new, milder syn-
thetic bars. Liquid soaps that appeal to consumers’antibac- Fig. 5. Innovation in a personal cleaning category.
terial/hygiene needs are growing. Finally, as in other cate-
gories, fragrances signal cleaning and skin mildness and
meet consumers’needs for choice. 1993–2000—What’s Ahead for the Soap
In summary, our industry has led change in the last 7 years
and Detergent Industry?
by introducing an unprecedented number of new and
Our industry will enjoy faster growth, if we stay focused on
improved products and packages.
satisfying consumer needs, increase the pace of innovation,
minimize our total system costs, and capitalize on global
Pricing. As of today, our industry offers consumers a better-
growth opportunities. First and foremost, our industry will
performing, higher-quality, and broader line-up of products in
have to understand who our consumers will be in the year
North America and Europe at prices only modestly above 1986
2000, and what their needs will be. Understanding con-
levels. Pricing is a critical component of consumer value. For
sumers’needs has always been fundamental. It will be even
example, in the United States, laundry detergent prices have
more critical in the future.
increased only 0.5%/yr over the last 10 years; dishwashing liq-
uids have increased 0.3%/yr. Over this period, inflation, as
Demographic Change
measured by the Consumer Price Index, has grown about 4%/yr.
Our industry delivered better products and basically held The first building block of soap and detergent industry
down costs. Soaps and detergents have been a good growth is population. Demand for our products correlates
consumer value. This is a trend our industry must continue directly with population growth and household formation.
over the next 7 years. The kind and amount of detergent, hard-surface, and per-
Copyright © 1994 AOCS Press