March 6, 2025 – The household industry is evolving, driven by shifting consumer needs and global influences. Each year, through comprehensive 360 research, Innova unveils the Top 5 Trends for the year ahead. This includes covering product launches, product preferences, sustainability, and package claims, aiming to forecast the future direction of the global household market for 2025.
This article is based on Innova’s Top Trends 2025 – Household – Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more
Trend #1 – Refining Home Care
Innova’s trends research shows that consumers are prioritizing premium quality for household products. The ‘Refining Home Care’ trend is about consumers seeking premium quality in their home care products, with the promise of functionality and performance. Precision-driven functionality and better quality and safety in formulations are the key drivers of this trend.
Household trends reveal that nearly half of global consumers are willing to pay more for dishwashing products with premium design and functionality. The demand for specialized cleaning solutions is growing, with 51% using different cleaning products for every cleaning task. Laundry care displays the same trend, with 46% of consumers choosing detergents based on fabric color and more than half showing interest in new product formats. Brands are responding by elevating formulations with patented technology and high-quality ingredients. For instance, products like Holloway House Quick Shine Multi Surface Floor Finish, Brilhante Color Shielding Total Cleaning Liquid Laundry Detergent, and Attitude Nature Plus Technology Floor Surface Cleaner.
Brands can focus on precision technology, ingredient formulas, and functional fragrances in their products. Beyond functionality, companies can attract consumers with limited-edition packaging, franchise collaborations, and visually appealing designs that blend performance with aesthetic appeal.
Trend #2 – Authentic Accountability
Globally, 1 in 2 consumers actively look for a sustainability claim of a product and brand in the household market. The growing demand for sustainable home care and consumer distrust toward brand marketing or claims are driving this trend. The ‘Authentic Accountability’ trend highlights that consumers are increasingly looking for bona fide efforts into sustainability practices, prioritizing transparency and honesty from companies.
This highlights a shift towards transparency, with 64% of consumers globally preferring simple, clear eco-labels. Beyond recycling, consumers are looking for upcycled ingredients in household care products. Brands like Upcircle Home Mist: Lemongrass Plus Upcycled Grapefruit Water are tapping into the mindset of eco-conscious consumers with a variety of sustainable innovations, from upcycled ingredients to carbon neutral packaging in the household industry.
Household trends show that nearly 3 in 5 consumers globally are worried about brands hiding/omitting their products’ pollution levels to appear more eco-friendly. To gain trust, companies must move past vague green claims and demonstrate real impact. Clear certifications, transparent communication, and sustainable production investments are likely to be the key in building long-term consumer loyalty.
Trend #3 – Plant-Powered Havens
Globally, consumers are prioritizing plant-based formulations in household care products. The ‘Plant-Powered Havens’ trends highlight this shift from artificial formulations, where companies are rapidly innovating new launches with an array of botanical and plant-based actives. Familiarity and sustainability and health and safety are the major drivers of this trend.
Botanical actives offer safer alternatives to the side effects of artificial compounds. Globally, 52% of consumers seek herbal formulations with plant-based surfactants in dishwashing, while 1 in 2 prefer plant-based laundry products. Brands are simplifying formulations and incorporating locally familiar botanicals to align with sustainability trends in the household market.
Beyond ingredients, plant-based innovation can extend to eco-friendly packaging and waste management with upcycled formulas reflecting consumers’ safe and sustainable priorities.
Trend #4 – Personified Perfumery
This ‘Personified Perfumery’ trend shows that home fragrances are evolving beyond traditional ‘fresh’ and ‘green’ scents, reflecting the personal choices, emotions, and imagination of consumers. There has been a 29% growth in fantasy fragrances launches over the past five years. This is followed by elements and emotions fragrances.
Household trends reveal that consumers increasingly seek scents that enhance well-being, with 2 in 3 using household fresheners to create a calming ambience. Brands are responding with unique fragrance innovations, such as Areon Home Perfumes Sunny Home Reed Diffuser and Gro To Bad Dream Buster Calming Room Spray, bridging the gap between wellness and unique experiences.
From mood-based aromas to food-inspired scents, brands can create personal home care experiences that appeal to consumers’ emotions and preferences.
Trend #5 – Safe and Snug
Consumers become more mindful of household product safety. The ‘Safe and Snug’ trend highlights that brands and companies in the household market are meeting new and improved safety standards and increasingly developing home care products that are safe for children and household pets. Clean and safe formulas and botanical and plant-based ingredients are key drivers of this trend.
There has been a 56% growth in home care suitable for babies (0-4) claim launches from 2022 to 2024, as brands develop baby-safe formulas with botanical ingredients. At the same time, the rise in pet ownership is driving demand for pet-friendly cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, and air care solutions. Pet-safe claims in home care have grown exponentially over the past five years. This presents an opportunity for brands to expand the pet-safe household market to meet the growing consumer demand.
This article is based on Innova’s Top Trends 2025 – Household – Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more
