[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] As the domestic laundry detergent market rapidly shifts to liquid detergents, the leading brand Persil continues its dominance. In the first half of this year, Persil maintained its top position, securing the crown for the seventh consecutive year.
According to market research firm Kantar Worldpanel on the 19th, Persil's market share in the first half of this year was 24.1%, holding onto the number one spot. Since 2014, Persil has maintained an unchallenged lead in the liquid detergent market. Notably, since 2015, the gap in market share between Persil and the second-ranked brand has reached 10%. The consistent improvement in cleaning power and competing on quality competitiveness are cited as the driving forces behind its top position.
Persil's popularity in the first half of this year was led by the product launched last year, ‘Persil Deep Clean’. The Deep Clean formula, developed with the latest German technology, combines 1 million stain-removing molecules and 7 types of smart enzymes in an optimal blend that penetrates deep into fibers to remove deeply embedded stains as well as fine dust by up to 99% or more. Riding this momentum, Persil launched ‘Persil Deep Clean Hygiene Gel’ in May. This product not only removes stains within fibers but also eliminates harmful substances such as fine dust and mites that can cause allergies, enabling hygienic washing. The fine dust removal capability of Persil Deep Clean Hygiene Gel has been verified not only by Henkel’s German research lab but also by Korea Apparel Testing & Research Institute (KATRI), a reputable domestic testing institution. Additionally, it removes mite carcasses and excrement hidden between fibers, eliminating 99% of harmful substances that cause dermatitis or allergies. It is the only domestically produced detergent to receive allergy care certification from the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF), known for its stringent standards.
Due to the recent surge in demand for hygienic laundry amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Persil is communicating through various channels with the message that ‘Deep Clean molecules penetrate fibers to provide hygienic cleanliness.’ A Persil representative stated, “Considering the activation of the online market in the untact (contactless) era, we plan to conduct digital marketing activities such as viral marketing. Interest in hygiene and harmful substance removal is increasing, so we will strengthen online promotions and home shopping sales centered on Hygiene Gel in the second half of the year.”
The weight of the domestic detergent market is expected to continue shifting from powder to liquid. The most important factor enabling the shift from powder, which dominated the market for decades, to liquid detergents was cleaning power. The market began to take shape in earnest in the mid-2000s when major domestic companies like LG Household & Health Care and Aekyung entered. In 2009, the German brand Persil introduced ‘Power Gel’ domestically, playing a catalyst role in changing the detergent market landscape to liquid detergents with its cleaning power.
The market share of liquid detergents increased by 4 to 5 percentage points annually from 2010 to 2016, surpassing powder detergents. According to Kantar Worldpanel, liquid detergent market share rose from 79.1% in 2018 to 82.6% last year, and further increased to 83.3% in the first half of this year. Accordingly, powder detergent market share steadily declined from 20.9% to 17.4%, and to 16.7% in the first half of this year.
Behind Persil’s solo run in the liquid detergent market, LG Household & Health Care’s ‘Tech’, Aekyung Industry’s ‘Rique’, and Lion Korea’s ‘Beat’ are fiercely competing. LG Household & Health Care is focusing on market penetration by launching senior-targeted products for each generation. The ‘Tech Odor Removal Liquid Detergent’ released by LG Household & Health Care this year is characterized by its ability to eliminate the distinctive body odor of seniors, known as ‘gayeong-odor’, and is the most powerful cleaning product among Tech’s lineup. It is a ‘deodorizing functional’ product that removes not only stubborn dirt and stains but also odors that cannot be eliminated by washing. The patented deodorizing ingredient technology effectively removes the odor-causing components rather than masking unpleasant smells with fragrance. It is effective in removing unique odors caused by hormonal changes due to age or gender.
Aekyung launched ‘Rique Z (Jet) Whitening Power Gel’, which combines washing and bleaching functions in one. Rique Z Whitening Power Gel has 48% stronger bleaching power compared to its existing detergents, providing whitening effects that make white clothes brighter and color care that manages colored clothes more vividly without worries about fading or color transfer.
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