EcoFocus Report Identifies Opportunities for Companies to Target $18.6 Billion in Household Cleaning Products

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) St. Petersburg, FL - November 12, 2010 - According to new consumer research on household cleaning products by EcoFocus Worldwide, a research based consulting company, corporations have huge new market opportunities in the “green” cleaning product space. Last year, retail sales of green cleaners hit $557 million which is only 3% of the $18.6 billion household and laundry cleaner market*.  The research findings, which are based on the EcoFocus 2010 US Trend Survey of 4,500+ Americans ages 18-65 years, show that features related to the health of the environment and to personal health are the most desirable when purchasing green cleaning products today: for 71% of buyers, biodegradable ingredients are at the top of their shopping list; followed by hypoallergenic ingredients for 67% of buyers. Around half of shoppers find plant-based cleaners and those made without chemical dyes or fragrances to be desirable.

“Shoppers are looking for manufacturers to give them more choices by creating green products using their brand’s recognized expertise. This is a significant opportunity for traditional CPG companies with longstanding reputations as experts in cleaning,” stated Linda Gilbert, CEO of EcoFocus Worldwide.    It’s also critical to keep choices familiar so shoppers can readily identify the products they are looking for. Too often, green products focus on communicating environmentally friendly attributes and forget to make it easy to tell fabric softener from detergent, for example. Shoppers also want manufacturers to help educate them about green by telling them how to recycle packaging, and what makes this choice greener than the next one through effective labeling.     The EcoFocus Insights Team also suggested that manufacturers need to focus on product performance for the mainstream consumer.   “Consumers tend to perceive greener cleaning products as being less effective than their counterparts,” stated Lisa Harrison, Consumer Insights and Research Leader for EcoFocus. “It is critical for corporations to disprove these perceptions by waiting until they develop high performing products rather than rushing to market with inferior products that consumers try once and abandon.  After a bad experience, getting them back into the category, let alone to your brand, will be difficult.”   For more information or to schedule an interview with Ms. Gilbert or Lisa Harrison regarding the research findings, please contact Fran Lowe at 510-735-9871 (PST) or Sheryl Zapcic at 717-875-4545 (EST).   About EcoFocus Worldwide
EcoFocus Worldwide conducts consumer trend research and provides marketing consulting specializing in consumer perspectives on green and sustainable goods and services as well as insights into the health and wellness marketplace. Clients include businesses with products and services that touch consumers in their homes and daily lives: foods and beverages; personal care and cosmetics; household cleaning and home improvements; gardening and pest control; school and home office supplies; transportation; restaurants; packaging and recycling, and other consumer and B2B goods and services. http://www.ecofocusworldwide.com.   *Source: Alsever, Jennifer. “Green Movement Prying Loose Details About Cleansers.” Msnbc. 15 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.  
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