Russians are switching to domestic laundry products. International brands have greatly reduced the range. In addition, Russian powders and gels are cheaper than imported ones.
According to retail chains, sales of Russian laundry products in kind increased by about 70% compared to the same period last year. The share of domestic laundry products in the range of networks has doubled on average, to 40-50%.
Sales of goods of the low price segment are growing especially actively - today it accounts for almost 60% of sales of laundry products. There is also a dynamic growth in sales of washing powders under their own brands of retail chains (STM). Over the past five months, STM sales have almost tripled.
Back in the spring of 2022, against the background of sanctions pressure, a number of international corporations announced the suspension of investments in the Russian market and the reduction of the assortment in the country. Literally in April, NielsenIQ recorded a reduction in the range of washing powders by almost a third (32.7%).
From January to September 2022, in general, the dynamics of sales of washing powders turned out to be negative. At the same time, the premium price segment shows the largest drop - minus 15.8%. In the average price segment, the decline is not so impressive - minus 5.6%. While smaller and cheaper brands grew in sales from April to September 2022. And among the key growing brands (in physical terms), Russian brands predominate. Some of them have increased their shares seven times. If last year the share of sales of inexpensive washing powders was 54.7%, this economy segment was already purchased by 57%.
The growing popularity of domestic brands is explained not only by the decrease in competition after the reduction of the presence of international brands. According to the calculations of the platform "Sales.Russian Federation", foreign laundry products have risen in price more than domestic ones. From January to the beginning of October, the average price increased by 57%, to 246 rubles apiece. At the same time, already expensive imported funds have risen in price by 50-100% over the year, and the cost of Russian inexpensive brands has increased from 17 to 50%.
The increase in prices for domestic laundry products was explained by interruptions in the supply of imported raw materials from March to June, explained the executive director of the Association of Manufacturers of Perfumes, Cosmetics, Household Chemicals and Hygiene Products Peter Bobrovsky. Some Russian manufacturers of household chemicals imported up to half of the ingredients. So, enzymes, defoamers in powders and more are produced abroad. The restructuring of logistics required additional costs, and the components themselves began to cost more.
