The fabric care category remains resilient through pandemics, inflation and economic downturns. Of course, some brands perform better than others. Happi recenlty caught up with Chris McClement, VP-marketing for laundry & home care brands, Henkel to discuss the success of Persil and other fabric care products. 


Happi: Fabric care sales rose 4.7% for the 52 weeks ended November 5. Yet, the Persil brand’s liquid detergent (+6.2%) and unit dose sales grew even faster (+7.9%). To what do you attribute the increase?

McClement: We have a lot of passion behind each of our laundry care products at Henkel, but Persil ProClean laundry detergent is showing immense opportunity to disrupt the category. Increased sales can largely be attributed to our unique formula that provides an advanced deep clean that delivers on our performance promise. We continuously strive to attract new users as they reach for products that align with their everyday needs – and new users become loyal purchasers of Persil, which supports our growth.


Happi: What new products has Henkel introduced in 2023? What new products are planned for 2024? For both years, can you email me images (jpegs 300 dpi) and spec sheets? What consumer needs do these new products address?

McClement: Henkel continues to raise the bar on the quality of our products with intentional innovations that are a result of listening to the desires and evolving needs of consumers. In 2023, the Persil brand expanded its popular Intense Fresh Liquid Detergent variant to a single-use format that also offers up to 100 days of freshness, out of storage. The product was recognized as the “Top Scent-sational Discs” in the Good Housekeeping 2023 Best Cleaning & Organizing Awards.

Scent plays a large role in the laundry category, so we are always looking to modernize. Snuggle fabric softener is another one of our brands that continues to innovate in this space, with the launch of Snuggle Crystals Scent Boosters aimed at extending the just-washed freshness of fabrics.

While we are unable to disclose specifics at this time, Henkel is extremely excited to release new laundry products across our portfolio of brands in 2024 – each being driven by consumer insights and the ever-changing laundry landscape. More to come!


Happi: How have consumer fabric care habits changed since covid?

McClement: The pandemic led to a major shift in spending, which didn’t drastically alter the way consumers care for fabrics, but rather readjusted their priorities. While some shifted their discretionary spending to buying more quality items for “home nesting,” others had to deploy a more drastic shift for budgeting. Through our diverse portfolio of laundry care products, Henkel delivered against both core consumer needs: those looking for efficacious and fragrant cleaning detergents, as well as those looking for more price-conscious finds. Today, consumers still want to care for their fabrics with a detergent that meets their unique needs, such as elongating the appearance of fabrics, being gentle for sensitive skin or being budget-friendly yet effective. Since consumer desires vary, so must our range of products – which will ring true regardless of global or cultural events.

Happi: What impact is inflation having on consumer purchasing decisions?

McClement: Inflation has had a major impact on consumer purchasing decisions as more Americans are looking for products that fit within their shifting budgets. In the laundry care space, consumers don’t want to compromise on efficacy, regardless of price point. They are looking for a balance of quality and cost – and Henkel delivers on both efficient cleaning and good value per wash load across our portfolio to ensure we can support a wide net of consumers.


Happi: Plant-based surfactant and biotech ingredients are in the spotlight right now, as they offer alternatives to traditional petroleum-derived materials. Do you agree? What advances has Henkel made in this area during the past few years?

McClement: Establishing a sustainable future has always been and will always remain a goal for the larger Henkel corporation. Sustainability is fundamental for creating a competitive edge, enabling business growth and generating value for our business and consumers. All of our brands work towards organizational goals as outlined in our 2030+ Sustainability Ambition Framework, which highlights our focus areas aimed at helping to make the economy and society have a more sustainable future.

Specifically for our laundry care brands, we are working to reduce our environmental footprint through both our packaging and our ingredients. For example, in January of 2023, Henkel and Shell Chemical LP agreed to a five-year collaboration to replace up to 200,000 metric tons of fossil feedstocks used in the manufacture of surfactants with feedstocks that are based on renewable raw materials. The renewable-based surfactants have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 120,000 tons of CO2e over the length of the five-year agreement and are used in Henkel’s laundry product brands, including many varieties of the Persil, Purex and All brands. Projects like this are a great example of our commitment to transitioning from traditional petroleum-derived materials to more climate conscious options in our production, while maintaining the high-quality performance that consumers seek.


For more coverage of the multibillion dollar US fabric care market, click here.