Price and Choice Dominate Market
By Karsten Knothe

Lidl offers the largest private label assortment of eco-friendly cleaning products under its own W5eco brand.

PL household cleaning products in Germany: cleanliness does not have to be expensive.

Household cleaning products clearly are purchases out of necessity rather than choice which boosts private label offerings. Nevertheless, branded products have the largest shelf space and offer greater choice than private label ranges. However, there are private label equivalents to all best sellers, and private label ranges also penetrate many specialist segments.

Furthermore, for many product categories there are also choices among several private label varieties, for example in terms of fragrance. Most private label products tend to be positioned at the bottom of the shelves, especially in supermarkets, but to some extent also in drugstores. Price differentials are substantial: in many cases the price of private label alternatives is one-half or even less compared to the market-leading premium brands.

The widest and deepest private label ranges are offered by drugstore chains such as Schlecker, dm-drogeriemarkt, Rossmann or Müller.

Supermarkets and hypermarkets offer a much narrower range, with specialist cleaning products and innovations covered mainly by branded products.

Hard discounters such as Aldi, Lidl or Penny Markt mainly sell private label products, in line with their overall retail philosophy. Therefore, their private label ranges are somewhat wider compared to supermarkets. In addition, various specialist cleaning products and innovations often can be found in their non-permanent offerings as part of their weekly store brochures and leaflets of special offers.

Dm-drogeriemarkt

Dm-drogeriemarkt is the second-largest drugstore chain in terms of turnover. All of its household cleaning products come under the Denk mit umbrella – a second range is Die Profis covering cleaning aids such as brushes or cloths. A new product is Denk mit nature, a dishwashing tablet that does not contain any phosphate, conservatives or perfumes. The tablets are packaged in soluble plastic. A similar product can also be found in the ranges of all the other drugstore chains. Another recent innovation, also in dishwasher tabs, was Denk mit Multi-Power Revolution. In addition to the 5-in-1 features (cleaning, rinsing, special salt, glass protection and metal protection) it offers improved silver protection, a power crust remover and machine care feature. Furthermore, these were the first tabs in the Denk mit range that were packaged in soluble plastic.

Washing detergents include the usual products for black and white garments, fine fabric and wool, as well Waschmittel Pur, a skin-friendly detergent that is free of perfumes, conservatives, and colourants with skin-friendly tensides as a cleaning agent. Pre-wash sprays are available in a standard formula, and as part of the OxiEngergy brand of stain removers.

Dm drogeriemarkt employs the Denk mit umbrella brand for its own range of household cleaning products.

The Denk mit range also includes a fabric bleach at €1.35 for 1l compared to €2.25 for Procter & Gamble’s Ace. Fabric softeners fragrances include African Nights, Paradise Beach as well as some more traditional ones such as Ocean Breeze, Balsam and Peach. A unique fragrance in hand dishwashing liquids is Apple & Pear, alongside other varieties such as Balsam and Sensitive Skin. Toilet cleaners are available in all imaginable formats: liquids, tablets, mousse and gel. The Denk mit range also includes a number of niche products such as a ceramic cleaner or small descaler sachets for electrical appliances. Air fresheners are also part of the Denk mit range.

Rossmann

Household cleaning products at Rossmann, Germany’s third-largest drugstore chain, are sold under the Domol umbrella brand. Multi purpose cleaners are available in the fragrances Alpine Freshness, Grapefruit and Lemon, all costing €0.89 for 1l. Unique specialist floor cleaners are a laminate & cork cleaner and a parquet cleaner, both at €1.49 per 1l.

The Domol washing detergent range covers all major market segments, including several unique fragrances and niche products. Examples include a liquid color detergent with a Tropic fragrance, Color tabs, a Hygiene rinser (for removal of bacteria for hygienically clean laundry), and a travel detergent. Fabric softener fragrances are Blue Sensation, Green Harmony, Hypoallergenic Balsam – and the ubiquitous classic Peach.

In dishwashing detergent, the Domol range also includes an ecological variety, Domol Ökologisch, sold at €3.19 for a pack of 32. Other advanced products include Domol 7-in-1, also sold at €3.19, but the pack size is 40. In addition to the standard 5-in-1 features, it offers a cleaning booster and a low-temperature system. By contrast, Reckit Benckisers Calgonit Powerball costs €5.99 for a pack of 40.

Hand dishwashing liquids are available in the pretty standard fragrances: Classic, Orange and Sensitiv Balsam. Other Domol specialist products include a power cleaner, air freshening sprays, electric airfresheners (in fragrances Magic Blossoms and Anti Tobacco), a power cleaner and a power cleaner, a grease dissolving spray, a textile refreshener and a carpet cleaner.

Schlecker

Schlecker remains by far the largest drugstore chain, although in terms of momentum it has been trailing both dm and Rossmann in recent years. All of Schlecker’s private label household cleaning products are sold under the AS brand. Washing detergents include the usual range of standard and colour universal washing powder, fine fabric detergents, a specialist product for black, as well as a washing detergent – both standard and color - for sensitive skin.

Fabric softener varieties are Tropical Fresh, Aloe Vera and Morning Freshness, all at €0.99 per litre, and Sensitive (€1.19). A bottle of Lenor, one of the leading brands, typically is €1.99. AS niche products include a curtain washing detergent and a textile refreshener (€1.29 for 500ml compared to €3.99 for a 500ml bottle of Procter & Gamble’s Febreze). Hand dishwashing liquid fragrances are Apple, Lime, Balsam and Ultra Power while dishwasher tablet varieties include Classic (€3.19 for a pack of 60), All-in-One (€3.19 for a pack of 36) and All In One Ökoline, the environmentally friendly alternative (€2.99 for a pack of 26).

Household cleaners include a limescale remover for bathroom cleaning, a glass cleaner, glass ceramic cleaner, a stainless steel cleaner and an organic descaler based on lemon acid.

In the supermarket channel, the main recent development has been the emergence of several mid-price brands: real,- Quality from Metro’s real,- hypermarkets in addition to its TiP economy range, Rewe’s Rewe brand in addition its ja! economy range and Kaiser’s Tengelmann’s Starmarke in addition to A&P. However, at the time of this writing, only real,- Quality included any household cleaning products, while both Rewe and Kaiser’s Tengelmann still sell all household cleaning products within their economy ranges.

Metro

Products within Metro’s new Real,- Quality range include 3-in-1, 5-in-1 and 7-in-1 dishwashing tablets, all priced at €4,99, but pack content varies from 32, 30 to 28 tablets. Hand dishwashing products are available in the fragrances Apple Fresh, Lemon Fresh, Power Gel and Sensitive, all at €1.29 for a 600ml bottle.

Real;- Quality toilet cleaners are available in the fragrances Lemon and Lemon Ocean, both at €1.29 for 750ml.

TiP products still outnumber real,- Quality cleaning products. Examples include various washing detergents such as Black Touch for black garments, a fine fabric detergent, and various detergents for colored garments, including varieties with an apple or an orange fragrance. TiP fabric softeners include the fragrances Spring Fresh, Mild & Soft and Vanilla & Flower. TiP dishwashing products are Balsam (hand dishwashing), and 5-in-1 dishwasher tablets, sold in packs of four. Multi-purpose cleaner varieties are Citrus and Classic Soap.

Other TiP products are a bathroom cleaner in the fragrances Citrus and Apple Fresh, sold in a trigger spray bottle.

Rewe

Meanwhile, Rewe’s ja! Range includes more than 35 products representing all the major segments. Thus in washing detergents, ja! products include various powder detergents (standard, concentrated and concentrated color) as well as liquid detergents (standard, color and fine fabric detergents).

Fabric softeners include the varieties Rose Garden, Spring Fragrance and Schmuseduft (which translates as Fragrance for Kissing). Stain removers are sold in 750g small buckets and varieties are Oxi Power White and Oxi Stain Remover. Hand dishwashing varieties are Apple, Fruit, Orange and Lemon.
The standard variety of dishwashing tablets in most private label ranges, including ja!, is now the 5-in-1 claim, which are sold in packs of 40. Multi purpose cleaners are available in the fragrances Lemon, Mix, Ocean and Vinegar Cleaner and Scouring Milk, while toilet products are available in the fragrances Ocean and Lemon. The ja! Range also includes a glass cleaner.

Edeka

Edeka, Germany’s largest grocery retailer, has a relatively small PL range and most PL products were not placed very prominently in stores visited by PL International magazine.

All items are part of the Gut & Günstig range of economy products, and the previous Blütenweiss sub-brand has been dropped. Most major segments have a Gut & Günstig offering, usually in the standard fragrances and/or packaging sizes. Fabric softeners are sold in the fragrances Exotic Touch, Soft Dream, Cool Breeze and Spring Feeling.

Like most other private label ranges, one segment where Gut & Günstig is up with current innovation is dishwashing tablets, offering a 7-in-1 variety at €2.99 for a pack of 40, alongside standard tablets at €3.19 for a pack of 60 – a pack of market leader Calgonit 7-in-1 is €5.99 for 28 tablets.

Lidl Discount Stores

At Lidl discount stores, household cleaning products are sold under two main brands – Formil for washing detergents, and W5 for most other detergents. A third brand is Doussy, used exclusively for fabric softeners, which are available in the fragrances Active Fresh, Jasmine, Softcare and Asian Spirit.
The Formil range covers various standard and compact powders, liquids and tablets, including tablets for colored garments. Recent innovations include a new stain dissolving system added to the standard Formil Aktiv as well as a new formula for Formil Ultra Plus with improved effectiveness on white garments and at temperatures as low as 20 degrees.

With the new subbrand W5 Eco, Lidl is the private label player with the largest number of environmentally friendly products. Until recently, this segment has been the domain of Dutch company Ecover, but has recently seen the entry of Henkel with its Terra Activ line. Several other private label ranges offered environmentally friendly dishwashing tablets. These are also available as part of W5 (€2.89 for a pack of 26). But in addition, W5 also included a hand dishwashing liquid (€1.15), a vinegar cleaner (€0.65) and a toilet cleaner (€1.29).

At the time of writing, no similar products were found in other PL ranges, although it is likely to be only a question of time until they emerge. The standard W5 range is relatively wide and deep, more so than for example the permanent range at rival Aldi Süd. In addition to all the common dishwashing and multipurpose cleaning products, W5 also includes grease dissolving cleaners, stainless steel and glass ceramic cleaners, glass cleaners, shoe polishes and a selection of toilet care products.

Aldi Discount Stores

Aldi, Germany’s leading hard discounter, has a core range of basic household cleaning products that is regularly topped up with special offers of specialist cleaners. The Aldi operation is divided into Aldi Süd in the south of Germany, and Aldi Nord in the North.

PLI visited stores in the South. Key brands are Tandil for washing detergents, Alio dishwashing products, Bims for general cleaning products, and Zekol for specialist and power cleaners.

Products sold as temporary offers during the January-February 2009 period included Tandil Black and Tandil White, a liquid deteregent for black and white garments, Tandil liquid fine fabric detergents either in a Rose & Lily fragrance or for sensitive skin.