FOAM DISPENSERS

A kitchen sink drama

 

Those with long memories will recall when the category language for washing-up liquids was bleak, unispiring and uniform: a cylinder of opaque, squeezable plastic with two- or three-colour direct printing. It was as if brand owners wanted their packs to reflect the monotony of washing-up itself.

 

The arrival of clear PET was to some extent simply a change of uniform, but at least brands and retailers now feel able to play around with shape and product colour for variety.

 

The fact that, according to Mintel, sales of hand dishwashing products fell by 1% in 2006 to £172m, could have something to do with year-on-year increases in dishwasher ownership of 2.5%, reaching 37% of homes by 2006. In Germany, the figure was closer to 50%, so this level of growth could well be set to continue.

 

In fact, growth in consumption of machine dishwashing detergents has not been offset by a comparable reduction in sales of hand washing-up products. Internationally, the arrival of foam dispensers could be helping to sustain value in this price-sensitive market.

 

As marketing director for Rexam’s personal care division, Norbert De Jong is well-positioned to compare the rate of packaging innovation in the cosmetics and toiletries sector with this very different end of the consumer spectrum. But since adoption of Rexam Airspray’s foam pump first filtered down from haircare, skincare, sun protection and hand-washing to the humble washing-up sector, the system has played an important role in differentiating brands.

 

Foaming format

Procter & Gamble (P&G) first used the system for its washing-up liquid brands in 2004, and Colgate Palmolive followed in 2006.

 

Brands using the dispenser now include P&G’s Dawn in the US and Fairy Active Foam, and Palmolive Oxy Plus Foam.

 

“We wanted to take the innovation to the leading brand owners first, and were less interested in offering it to the more price-orientated own-label products,” says De Jong. “But I wouldn’t be surprised to see the foam pump in private label washing-up liquids in future.” Airspray, like the other parts of the Rexam Group, will be present at Interpack.

 

Plastics converters such as Alpla are major suppliers to the washing-up liquid market, both with PET and HDPE. For some household products Alpla provides multinational brand owners with in-house bottle blowing facilities, says UK sales manager Mike Taylor.

 

P&G uses another supplier for hole-in-the-wall in-house supply of packaging in the UK, including clear PET for its Fairy washing-up liquids.