Laundry Detergents of Each Company Have Latest Features and the Fierce Market Share Battle

Gel balls, push-type, and luxury marketing—each strategy differs, but they all share the commonality of being liquid detergents. However, liquid detergents also have their weaknesses.

“When prioritizing cleaning power, powdered synthetic detergents are still the best choice. Liquid detergents are diluted with water, so they are thinner than powders and their bleaching effect tends to be weaker. Families with children in sports teams or people with outdoor jobs often choose powdered detergents because powders offer stronger cleaning power,” as mentioned by Fujiwara.

Thus, the introduced ‘Perfect Stick’ was born. Coated with a water-soluble film, it requires no measuring, and inside is the next-generation foaming powder, essentially powdered detergent. The Perfect Stick combines convenience and cleaning power, making it the darling of the “third laundry revolution.”

“The reason why the Attack series is the best-selling detergent overall is its ‘brand freshness.’ Everyday detergents need to continually introduce novelty to avoid consumer boredom. However, Kao consistently generates new products under the Attack brand, unbound by past norms. This agility in switching without being bound by past norms is why Kao reigns supreme,” as noted by the aforementioned Takai.

Who will lead the charge for the fourth revolution—Kao, P&G, or Lion? Which company will emerge victorious in the cutthroat battle for market share among these three giants, baptizing its rivals with the new era of detergents?

From the July 5 and 12, 2024 issue of FRIDAY