In 2026, unit volume is flat to down across the laundry and home care categories. A closer look shows innovation is trending up. Private label and new brands investing in new formats, scent experiences or enhanced wellness are showing consumers there are quality alternatives to “time-tired” national brands.
Five trends shaping laundry and home care
1. Price-sensitive shoppers and private label
People are trading down on everyday cleaning and laundry products, and private labels and new brands are responding with cheaper options. According to Circana Unify+, private label held 21.3% of dollar sales and 23.5% of unit sales in 2025 [1].
For your next product: a clearly positioned value option can win shoppers who are trading down.
2. New formats
Sheets, tablets and concentrates are the fastest-growing formats, and Mordor Intelligence projects sheets will grow about 7% a year through 2031 [2]. Liquid still holds about half the market, but consumers are steadily turning to water-free formats.
For your next product: a water-free format is worth evaluating alongside liquid.
3. Fragrance
Scent is the one area where shoppers will keep paying more. Younger consumers are drawn to scent boosters and $100 laundry liquids.
For your next product: scent is where a differentiated premium line can justify its price.
4. Health and ingredients
More than 60% of Gen X, Y and Z shoppers say a product’s wellness benefits affect what they buy. They will pay 10% more for sustainable products.
For your next product: wellness and sustainability claims influence the purchase, so they need to be specific and supportable.
5. Pets
Euromonitor ranks pet-focused cleaning first among its 2026 home care trends [3]. Pets live in 80% of U.S. households (Mintel) [4], making odor, fur and allergens everyday cleaning problems.
For your next product: odor, fur and allergens are a clear brief for pet-focused cleaning products.
National brands have grown on price, not volume
At the same time, national brands’ strategy of price increases and package shrinks has exhausted loyal consumers over the last five years.
Procter & Gamble is a case in point. From fiscal 2022 to 2026, P&G grew almost entirely by raising prices: price contributed 19 of the 21 percentage points of organic growth across those five years, and volume contributed none [5]. Volume gains in 2022 and 2025 were offset by a 3-point volume decline in 2023, the year pricing peaked at 9 points. The other 2 points came from mix — shoppers buying higher-priced products.
Procter & Gamble organic growth by component, fiscal 2022–2026 (percentage points)
| Fiscal year | Price | Volume | Mix | Organic growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +4 | +2 | +1 | +7 |
| 2023 | +9 | −3 | +1 | +7 |
| 2024 | +4 | 0 | 0 | +4 |
| 2025 | +1 | +1 | 0 | +2 |
| 2026 | +1 | 0 | 0 | +1 |
| 5-year sum | +19 | 0 | +2 | +21 |
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
Fiscal years end June. Organic growth excludes currency effects and acquisitions or divestitures. The five-year sum adds each year’s points; it is not compounded growth. Source: Procter & Gamble [5].
Shoppers are realizing that private label and new brands deliver quality at better value.
What it means for store brands, retailers and your next product
Consumers are spending less on basic cleaning and laundry products but are willing to pay more for scent, convenience and wellness reassurance. For private label and new brands with a clear low-price option or a differentiated premium line, 2027 will be clean and bright.
Whether you are planning a value line or a premium one, let’s work together to build it.