Americans Purchasing European Detergents - Henkel Has Sniffed Us Out

[logixx]

Someone posted a ingredient list here somewhere?

from: http://henkelconsumerinfo.com
 
AQUA
DIDECYLDIMONIUM CHLORIDE
FETTALKOHOLETHOXYLAT C12-18 7EO
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
POLYACRYLAT KATIONISCH
PARFUM
COLORANT

 

[tomturbomatic]

The didecyldimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonia. It is a strange chemical with many uses both as a disinfectant and in cosmetic products such as hair conditioners!

 

[launderess]

Quats

Have long been used as a disinfectant for both surfaces and textiles. As one has stated often when such threads come up commercial laundries have long used germicidal rinses (quat based).

For quats to work effectively the surface/textile must be as clean from soils/muck as possible. That is why things are cleaned/washed first and then treated with quat compounds.

European laundry market as Louis has stated long had such disinfectant rinses on the market. Most but not always marketed to either infant laundry and or for female underthings after a *ahem* an infection such as yeast.

Again Americans by and large wouldn't know from such things since they would reach for a LCB where possible.

Lysol did make a laundry sanitizer but it wasn't on the market for long. IIRC it too was quat based but was a powder.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Henkel's Persil ingredients.

I used Logixx's link to suss out the ingredients in Henkel's Portuguese Persil, which I got in a discount chain in the UK: the "Sabao Azul & Branco" powder.

The packet claims protease and glycosidase enzymes are included; replicated in the English translation sticker stuck to the box.

Henkel's list in the link says protease and amylase are employed instead. I presume that this list is a little out of date - glycosidases can perform the job of amylases. I was under the impression that there would be several different enzymes in the Persil mix. (The Henkel Persil "Duo" formulation has mannanase too).

So in this case, Henkel's Persil apparently has fewer enzymes than either UK Unilever Persil or UK P&G Ariel.

 

[dixan]

Polish Persil

Polish Persil is made in Poland, not in Germany.
Henkel have two powder detergents plants for Eastern Europe - one in Poland and one in Serbia, and two plants for liquids and capsules - one in Austria and one in Hungary.
I suspect rayjay bought Persil with fresh pearls by Silan. There is not actual softener inside, but perfume capsules for extra freshness.

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1...resh%20Perls%20by%20Silan%202011_01_Front.JPG

Since 2011 Persil Gold is discontinued and Henkel placed on the market new compact Persil Expert.

http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3s0DTjQRAtU/Udxftw2RgRI/AAAAAAAACtU/pyNps6fDjL4/s576/P1010718.JPG

And finally, Persil sabao azul e branco is budget product within premium Persil brand. Something more, Portuguese Persil is the worst in entire Europe. Even our Persil in Eastern Europe is way better.
Persil/Dixan/Wipp in most of the European countries contains protease, amylase, lipase, mannanase and cellulase. Our Persil Expert here, in Eastern Europe, contains the latter plus pectat lyase. So, five or six enzymes depending on the country.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Thanks for that!

Just as I suspected - a budget version. Well I won't be buying any more of that!

I wish that manufacturers wouldn't dumb down products for certain markets. It is so irritating.

 

[launderess]

Thank You For Setting Things Straight

Could have sworn the containers of "Polish" Persil one saw said and or were advertised as "Made In Germany".

Who knew Henkel made "budget" versions of their TOL detergent, Persil.

Why does Persil with Silan go on about "softness" if all it does is contain time released perfumes?

 

[dixan]

Tell me about it! The only detergent here that is the same as the Western European version is Unilever's OMO - it has the same ingredients as UK Persil and Greek Skip. I investigated the ingredients lists and it seems that Unilever's premium brand (OMO/Skip/Persil/Via) is the same throughout Europe. That's why I highly respect Unelever. Henkel and P&G make different formulations for the different countries.

http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZhaFuHCMGYA/TlVU35pck9I/AAAAAAAAC1E/Pb8mvyjh7ns/s640/P1000316.JPG

 

[launderess]

Actually Come To Think Of It

Had long suspected something was up with Persil. I mean the "gold" version is not something one ever recalls seeing in Germany, but many eBay and other sellers palmed it off to the American market.

IMMO best thing to look on packet to see where the stuff is made. All the Persil in one's stash say "Made in Germany". Have a hunch "Made in the EU" is rather a broad term and could mean almost anything.

 

[dixan]

Launderess,

in fact there is no Polish or Czech, or Bulgarian Persil. Both plants in Poland and Serbia produce the same formulation for Eastern Europe and the manufacturer is Henkel CEE (Central and Eastern Europe). You can find the same products in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, etc.

Yes, "budget" versions of TOL detergents are familiar in Southern Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal. In Spain there is Ariel Basico. It's Ariel, but it's not like the "other" Ariel, the one in the green box. It's cheaper. I heard that P&G will use the same concept with the US Tide.

http://supercash.distritok.com/sqlcommerce/ficheros/dk_58/productos/ariel30-1.jpg

In the commercials for Persil with Silan Henkel never mentioned anything about softness. There are no statements on the package too. It is not 2-in-1 powder. The idea is that their Silan (a.k.a. Vernel) softener contains "perfume pearls" for time released freshness and this Persil contains the same "pearls" as the softener. In fact I don't find any difference between the "normal" Persil and the one with the Silan pearls.
The commercial you posted is in Bulgarian language. I uploaded in on youtube.

 

[dixan]

There was Persil Gold in Germany. Here it is:

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1VedLudhLn8/UPRLT0y04bI/AAAAAAAACBw/ypIEtIlfV9U/s640/P1010428.JPG

http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cMQuJCyOS_w/TlUtMb6MMFI/AAAAAAAAAf8/zNM8x38DnjU/s576/P1000281.JPG

I bought both from Germany.

German Persil is always in cardboard box (except small packages of Persil Megaperls). The "Polish" one is always in plastic bag like the one I posted earlier.
Also, the Eastern European Persil always has a code on the package with the country of origin. For example "13.10.2011 12:26 S 05". This means the powder is made on October 13, 2011 in Serbia (S). The expiry date is 36 months after this date.

 

[launderess]

You Ain't Said Nothing But A Word

From Henkel website:

Persil Super Power Gel / Purex Cold Water

Small, powerful and convenient – that's Persil Super Power Gel, our liquid laundry detergent that develops its washing power already at 15 degrees Celsius (France: LeChat, Italy: Dixan). Persil Super Power Gel delivers the same washing performance with just half the conventional dosage. The same applies to our liquid detergent Purex Cold Water in the US. Washing laundry at lower temperatures not only lowers energy consumption and therefore CO2-emissions, but also puts money back in our consumers' pockets.
_________________________________________

So remember folks just because you see the Henkel logo it does not automatically translate to the German Persil we all know and love.

 

[launderess]

There was Persil Gold in Germany

Really?

Never saw the stuff, am going to have to expand my search area.

Also why does Persil label many of their detergents in English even when they are sold say only in Eastern Europe?

 

[dixan]

"You Ain't Said Nothing But A Word"

Is this for me? Did I write something wrong?

 

[dixan]

Check the latest products on www.persil.de Persil is not "gold" anymore.

"Also why does Persil label many of their detergents in English even when they are sold say only in Eastern Europe?"

That's because they sell it in too many countries each with different language. The English is universal, you know.
This is the back of the package. See how many languages are there in the white square. On the sides there are also instructions in every single language.

 

[launderess]

*LOL*

No, it wasn't for you, just setting up the piece one posted from Henkel's website.

The quote is an old American one, not sure if it comes from a play, musical or whatever. Very popular in the South.

 

[MrX]

That statement is nothing to do with consumers at all. It's a legal thing because Henkel may have US companies traded on a stock market there and it is ensuring that any statement on that website cannot be construed as a statement by any Henkel entity in the USA.

It's quite common for multinationals to put statements like that up about various entities around the world where they want to make it abundantly clear that this part of their operation is not regulated by financial authorities in another jurisdiction.

You often see it on documents relating to share ownership. It may say something like that to completely clarify its legal status for financial regulators.

So, don't worry, the lovely people at Henkel probably still like you

 

[launderess]

Being As All This May

Have said it before and shall say it again Persil (Henkel) isn't all *that* wonderful, especially for the dear price Americans must pay for the stuff.

Will give you that in early days of front loading washing machines when choices were limited on this side of the pond, a case could be made for the highway robbery prices charged on these shores. However find many modern offerings by American detergent makers such as Tide and Wisk "HE" are quite good at both cleaning and being low froth.

Have been using both Tide "cold water" and "free and gentle" HE liquids for years now and both perform quite well. The Tide "cold water" shifted stains such as wine and other foods that some EU detergents couldn't touch.

Have several problems with EU detergents. Most if not all are *very* heavy in the fragrance department. My other worry is many of the liquids and gels seem to have quite a lot of soap. This could explain (along with cooler water temperature washing) why so many on that side of the pond are complaining about gunked up washing machines.

 

[logixx]

Yes, there was a Gold Edition some time ago. It even came with a golden-glitter measuring cup. Here's mine:

 

[beekeyknee]

I buy Ariel at the Mexican grocery. It's made by P&G, but in many other countries according to the label. It seems to outperform anything I buy in the American supermarkets. It's got dodecilbenceno sulfonato de sodio (ingrediente basico) in it. I'm sure it's not good for the environment, but when the clothes come out of the machine I don't have to worry about having to wash them repeatedly to get them clean. It's such a waste of time, water and energy, not to mention wear and tear on my clothes, machines and nerves.

The numbers to call if you're unhappy with the product are in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala and Costa Rica. I won't be calling. It's working fine. The cost of the call would probably be more than the bag of detergent. LOL.

I have a feeling this might be some old stock detergent at the Mexican grocery. I'm thinking of going and buying it up.

Alkylbenzene sulfonate - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org