Cleaning supplies takes a bath in crisis

Resident of Icaraí, Niterói, the biologist Mariana Duque has reduced the frequency of the maid at home three to once a week. The change came earlier this year when she left her employment to invest in a new business. For this, the family shook and began to divide the care with the house cleaning: — Buy good products, the best brands, more practical and economical. Also bought a vacuum cleaner, which helps a lot. And I would like to have a dishwasher — her account, which includes the children of 7 and 10 years in home care routine. — I've learned it's a question of organization. I've to go back to work and let's follow in this scheme.
Mariana reflects a change of habits of the Brazilian middle class that allowed the sector of cleaning supplies take a bath in the recession. Families have discharged domestic, more women are working to help in the budget and, with it, the segment's sales grow, consumer research and experts say. Is the economic crisis by strengthening this new consumption trend.
Kantar Worldpanel: consumer data also show that the share of households in class AB with mensalista maid fell from 4.8% in June 2012, to 2.9% in the same month this year.
— The class AB is more concerned with the economic situation. Is where there is a reduction in the number of homes with maid, movement which began in 2012, with the increase in the salary of domestic — explains Marina de Albuquerque, the account manager Kantar. — With the price increase of the products and people with less time to clean the House, growing demand for practical and efficient solutions.
The Brazil is already the fourth largest market for cleaning products in the world, behind the US, China and Japan. Between 2009 and 2014, sales rose 17.3%, totaling $ 7.8 billion a year, according to Euromonitor International. The forecast is for growth of 16.6% by 2019. In the last five years, products for cleaning the kitchen gave 117.6% jump in sales. Already the vessels, for example, do not appear in the 2009-2014 study of Euromonitor. The estimate for up to 2019, however, is high of 35.2% in sales of this item.
The crisis leads people to do substitutions on the purchase. Opt for smaller packaging, buy less or migrate to cheaper item. In practice, however, this translates into two movements. Give strength to the top segment, to consolidate brands. At the other end, stimulates the sale of cheaper items.
— The fastest growing consumption profile in recent years is the "fancy economic". To keep small luxuries, the consumer saves on basic categories. And make choices more aware regarding cost and benefit — explains Adriano Araujo, Director of Dunnhumby from Brazil.
The publicist Mariana Fleury adopted this strategy: — I prefer the best brands. How to work out, I'm looking for convenience — she, who lives with her 3-year-old son and, with budget tightening, dismissed the maid. — I started using the dishwasher, which only worked on the weekend.
Not by chance, the dishwasher is equipment with high of 45.6% in sales a year since 2009, according to Euromonitor. — The dishwasher is an opportunity to be exploited, because it has low penetration in Brazil (2%) — explains Roberta Donato, General Manager of marketing for Whirlpool to Latin America, manufacturer of the brand Brastemp and Consul.
For Unilever, leader in the sector in the country, the tendency of people to invest in high performance products will accelerate: — consumers are taking over routine house cleaning and laundry. Has been significant growth of products that deliver high performance combined with practicality and convenience — Celino, marketing director of Unilever House care, citing the Cif Degreaser Ultra fast, that promises to clean heavy dirt in ten seconds, and Omo stain stick, used in the washing machine.
Betting on own-brand products, quality of retailers gain space in the cleaning basket. In the first half, the 100 biggest selling items, Qualitá Grupo Pão de Açúcar, recorded 10% advance on January to June 2014. At the other end, the premium brands invest in innovation to hook consumers.
— We focus on products that make people lose less time at work, make cleaning fast and practical way, as OxiAction, that takes stains Vanish in 30 seconds, and the Harpic Cliq, adhesive gel for cleaning of toilet — Jiri Kulik, Senior Vice President for Latin America and Brazil of Reckitt Benckiser, second company in the segment of cleanup in Brazil.
Even in the crisis, the balance between free time and cost of product may tip toward practicality.
— The time to take care of the household chores asks solutions that bring convenience, regardless of the price. The consumer younger work outside, have children later and convenient and eco-friendly products search — evaluates Eduardo France, Coordinator of MBA in strategy and Consumer Sciences of ESPM Rio.
The Àkora Brazil, of direct sale of sustainable hygiene and cleaning products, is aware of this movement and the demand of the classes B and c. In five years, has more than 2,000 dealers. The flagship is the Ecomais, cloth for cleaning of floors and surfaces that uses only water. There is also the Ecobola, ceramic ball that replaces the use of SOAP in the washing machine.
— We map innovative products in the world. Cost more expensive but in use, bring the economy. And are sustainable. The demand for environmentally friendly items is growing — explains the Director Marcia Toyoshima.