October 7, 2024 – When Innova Market Insights develops its household trends for the coming year, it defines household categories as including all laundry, cleaning, dishwashing and washing up, air care, and paper products. It also considers household product launches that have a sustainability presence, with ethical claims pertaining to the environment, packaging, or humans. Another source of data is Innova consumer trends research to gather consumer insights and present them in its Innova Beauty, Personal Care and Household Survey.
Household Trends for 2024
Innova Market Insights offers its predictions for five household trends for 2024. Trend #1 is Zenifying the Home. This trend describes how brands innovate formulations and product designs that support mental wellness through stress relief and aromatherapy. The #2 trend, Guard and Gleam, captures heightened post-pandemic awareness of hygiene, along with the need for scientific health and safety claims. Trend #3, Toward Circularity, is an important focus. Brands are moving beyond “recycle” and “refill” to better support sustainability and a circular economy. The fourth trend, Herbal Harmony, describes how brands shift toward plant-based and botanical ingredients that help satisfy consumer demand for non-toxic formulations. Finally, Trend #5, Diversifying Choices, shows that brands are offering more choices to consumers by launching new formats and fragrances in household products.
Data Gathering Demonstrates Circularity
The Innova Market Insights #3 Household Trend for 2024, Toward Circularity, uses consumer trends research plus household product launches to assess the status quo and examine the future. Consumer trends research results show that consumers are becoming more eco-consciousness in their preferences for household products. Consumers want to see the next level of sustainability in product development. They are looking for sustainable product development that is not just the classic recycle and refill but goes beyond these methodologies. Consumers want to take individual responsibility and make choices toward more sustainability in their lifestyle. They also feel that their voices can be heard. In response, manufacturers are launching household products that are sourced and produced sustainably, include natural ingredients, and demonstrate efforts toward carbon reduction and circularity in their packaging.
Consumers Pursue Eco-friendly Lifestyles
Consumers have become more sophisticated in their support of sustainability. They are pursuing targeted sustainability innovations and products that help them live eco-friendly lifestyles. In particular, consumers globally are looking for zero waste packaging and other types of waste reduction. Consumers also are taking the next step beyond recyclability by seeking products with packaging that is made from post-consumer recycled or renewable materials.
Consumers Want to Trust Companies
Transparency and trust are driving consumer attitudes. Consumers are concerned about product labeling that is too complicated. They also often suspect companies of greenwashing their sustainability claims. In consumer trends research, consumers globally say that they want details about carbon footprint to be transparent, including how companies are measuring and offsetting their carbon footprint.
New Household Products Evolve
Manufacturers are evolving household products to meet consumer expectations for innovative actions toward sustainability. Packaging innovations include packaging made from alternatives to plastic materials, including aluminum, paper, cartons, cardboard, and glass. Another trend is toward bio-based and compostable packaging for household products. Concern is growing about microplastics, so products free of microplastics are being launched in laundry, cleaning and dishwashing categories. Watch for a growing number of household products with carbon neutral claims.
Looking at the Future in Circularity
Consumers feel empowered to reach out to manufacturers regarding their product preferences. They expect companies to brand products honestly. Greenwashing is a concern among consumers, who are forcing manufacturers to look critically at their own ethical practices. Authentic certifications may help earn back consumer trust. A stronger brand-consumer relationship can help companies develop products that are sustainable and perform well.
Freedom from microplastics will be important to satisfy consumer demand and meet with government regulations banning harmful toxins such as microplastics. Another focus area is expected to be carbon neutrality in the formulation process and in packaging. Consumer trends research combined with government support can motivate companies to promote circularity in product lifecycles.
Trends to Watch For
Companies and consumers can drive several key trends. Watch for sustainable packaging to evolve and expand into more categories of household products. Recycling is expected to advance into new types of recyclable packaging. Refillable packaging is expected to become more widely available. Consumers are looking for post-consumer recycled materials in packaging and this can help push manufacturers. Manufacturers are seeking new ways to cut down on packaging material, for example, thinner plastic bottles. To reduce packaging, manufacturers are expected to step up efforts toward packaging that is compostable, bio-based or made from upcycled food waste materials. Freedom from plastic packaging, as well as microplastic-free packaging and formulations, will become important. Finally, growth in carbon neutral solutions will help promote circularity.
This article is based on Innova’s Top Household Trends 2024: Toward Circularity ‒ Global report. Find out more about this report by booking a demo or reach out to us using our Contact Form.
