Since 2008, A.I.S.E. has conducted research every three years with consumers across Europe in order to track their washing and cleaning habits, as well as their perceptions on topics such as cleanliness and hygiene, safe use and storage of products, interest in digital opportunities and sustainability.

Product safety and safe use as well as sustainable cleaning and washing habits at home are important in home maintenance. Comparative data over 17 years allows A.I.S.E. to follow trends and monitor the evolution in consumers’ habits, to better understand how the needs and preferences of consumers across Europe change over time.

In 2020, this research looked at whether and to what extent attitudes and understandings of cleanliness and hygiene may have changed during the pandemic. We see from the research that European citizens genuinely care about hygiene and cleanliness at home and this has remained highly important since the pandemic – hygiene practices are still considered very important for preventing infection and handwashing is a well-established routine.

Consumers’ habits when washing at home

The survey findings highlight a positive move towards safer storage of products, but opportunities for more sustainable behaviours when washing and cleaning at home. Some key points regarding consumers’ habits at home:

• European citizens store laundry detergents as well as drain cleaners more often in safe places out of reach of children rather than in unsafe places. Across all product categories safe storage has increased since 2020.

• 60% of laundry washes are done at 40°C or lower and European washing machines are fully loaded most of the time.
• Fewer consumers are using low-temperature programmes today compared to a decade ago.

• The average laundry washing temperature has increased slightly, as have the number of washes per household.

• Regarding safe product storage, more consumers need to become accustomed to reading the label before using a product for essential safe use advice.

• Today, more consumers own a dishwasher compared to a decade ago and on average they use their dishwasher fewer than five times a week.

The industry continuously engages users on the importance of safe and sustainable use and storing products out of reach of children through many channels, including icons and guidance on product packaging and via communications campaigns and brand advertising.

Perceptions and habits regarding cleanliness & hygiene

On the topic of cleanliness and hygiene, the survey findings highlight that:

• There is an increasingly positive perception of the cleaning products industry in terms of overall benefits for people, their health, and safety and sustainability of products.
• European citizens genuinely care about hygiene and cleanliness at home, which has remained highly important since the pandemic.
• Hygiene practices are considered very important for preventing infection. Handwashing is a well-established routine; nevertheless, consumers need more clarity about what hygiene, cleaning and disinfection really mean and what is appropriate in different situations.

Research methodology

The survey was conducted in 23 countries across Western, Southern, Eastern Europe, the Nordics, Ireland and the UK, with approximately 4600 respondents in total, and the data presented here are the overall aggregated results for Europe, with some regional reporting on specific topics. Respondents included men and women aged 18-65 responsible for purchasing laundry detergent products and using a washing machine for household laundry. The research is co-sponsored by APPLiA, the European Home Appliance Manufacturers Association.