Review: Detergent aisles of American supermarkets

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

Hmm

 

I remember reading an article two years ago  in the WSJ describing a visit to Brazil by the CEO of P&G.  He entered a store saw a shelf full of powdered detergents and proclaimed that he envisioned seeing the shelves full of liquid detergent.

 

I remember this because it showed that liquid detergents filling the market is no accident and they are not there just because consumers want them.  I guess Liquids have their place especially in water temperatures of 85F, but I find them messy, and hard to dose.  This is an advantage to manufactures because folks just pour it in and go, and may never get the actual  amount of loads advertised. Powder--I know what a tablespoon is because that's what I dose with.  Liquid - can you even see line 1 in the colored cap? Is this an accident?  I bet not.  Spill it....and it is all over the place  thick and sopping wet.  At least with powder I can suck it up with my hand held and even reuse it.

 

Choice? - In most of the stores I shop on the east coast there are almost no powders. Still  trying to find Tide with bleach powder - no box in sight -  anywhere.  I also can't find Finish DW powder which, buy the way, cleans almost as well as Finish Quantum tabs, but is cheaper to buy.

 

In defense of liquid, Tide Total care does an all right job and rinses clean but lacks oxygen bleach that helps clean whites and brights but it also has OBA's that make darks shimmer under the light - not for me.

 

Another thing to consider is that in each location supermarkets will stock what sells.  So even though there may be a variety of detergents on the overall market each supermarket may limit their  selection to the items that sell the best - even if consumers were duped into buying  it. 

 

Philadelphia?  - where do you stay when you are here?
 
"Should one ever have the desire to aquire goods with an "odd* past know just where to go; one grew up in an area where certain gentlemen made the antics of "The Sopranos" seem like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Many of their children were my classmates and as wont for small town living the families mixed socially and or at least knew of each other. 

Being as that may should one require the need of your services, please show up to collect me in the Mercedes. It does so make a nice impression on the jailers. *LOL* 

*LOL* "

My kind of woman....if we are going to do it......do it with class!

 
To me the focus upon liquids is hard to fathom. Consumer's has said time and again that powders are more concentrated, which only stands to reason as the water in liquids can only dilute them. Powders are cheaper to ship, water is HEAVY (8lb/gal). Powders can contain sequenced elements (bleaches, enzymes) that can't always be premixed with water for full effect. I have used both but always come back to powder.

Back toward topic, stores, it's almost impossible to predict what region has what chains or what the individual stores offer. I shop at Kroger but there are items at Albertson's directly across the street that Kroger doesn't have. Albertson's is substantially more expensive across the board, which is important to me but perhaps less so to an international/transcontinental traveler.
 
Liquid vs Powder Detergents

By and large liquid detergents are better for oil/grease/fat stains and powders for clay. Yes, there are other factors and the lines can blur a bit but by and large there you have it.

At least in the USA the numbers of persons whom actually get their clothing "dirty" with clay/dirt type of soils such as farmers or wallowing around in the mud are few (and that often today includes children). Most clothing today is soiled mainly by body oils, sweat and perhaps food or other stains. The surfactants in modern liquid detergents along with complex enzymes found in the TOL versions are usually enough to deal with such laundry.

There is also the increasing demand upon washing machines to use less hot or even warm water, the temperatures most powders work best and more importantly dissolve in, as opposed to cold water.

In Europe and the UK where front loaders with their own heaters dominate powder detergents long have had oxygen bleaching agents, which accounts for their excellent stain removal. Indeed Which? UK dethroned Ariel Excell and other gel/liquid detergents because of their poor stain removal. That is based largely on their lacking bleaching agents.

In the USA where chlorine bleach still dominates on laundry day this is less of a problem as it can and is used with either powder or liquid detergents. However P&G owns all the key patents for oxygen based bleaching systems including those using activators so other than Tide or Gain powders with bleach (are there others?)there aren't other choices. Have not looked so do not know if these new Pod detergents by P&G contain oxygen bleach or not.
 
Family Dollar...

Is VERY convenient to quickly walk-in and walk-out with just a few things. The two I frequent are always CLEAN, no lines of folks waiting to check out unlike Wally World - plus staff are reasonably nice. I like the size of packaging for Tide With Bleach (powder) sold there. Also - they offer original plain ol' Regular NON-CONCENTRATED Downey. IF I want just a little softener am not having to mess with concentrated stuff that doesn't smell all that nice...those 'unstoppables' are just awful.
They also sell my favorite candy - NECCO wafers :=)
 
Could Be Wrong

But laundry along with cleaning products in general tend to be rather a mature market. There are several huge supermarkets in my area (Key Food, Gristides, etc) that do have a large laundry product section but the entire section is also devoted to all and sundry that comes under houshold cleaning products.

By the way have you tried K-Mart in the East Village (Manhattan)? They have or at least had a very large and decent laundry/household cleaning section last time one was there. However it has been almost a year since one was there last so cannot say what is still there.
 
Launderess, what you say may be true in the "big city", but I know lots of people who get their clothes dirty with "dirt". Not just farmers either - add in landscapers, masons, and just about any other type of construction or maintenance workers. Come to think of it, many of those people live in cities too. As for children, I know plenty who get grimy playing by the creek, or playing football or other sports, etc. Not all children are parked in front of a video game or TV in their fancy apartment or suburban house. Perhaps you need to visit the rest of the country, especially outside of metropolitan areas.
 
Be aware everyone. In the mid 00s I conducted a semi-comprehensive study of bleaches. I was in martial arts trying to keep my uniforms their original color whilst grinding on the floor. I found BOTH chlorine and oxygen bleaches rapidly degraded fabric (cotton) integrity.

You can have it white and throw it away tonight, or have it gray and wear it another day. You can't have both.
 
Another powder user here, but also add a bit of liquid for a "boost" to help get the oily stuff out of my laundry and a bit cleaner.

Tomorrow is laundry day for me. I'm going to try and head out either early in the morning or somewhat later in the afternoon. When I went a few weeks ago (on of all times, a Monday afternoon), there was NO HOT WATER! I was one angry customer, but I was told by the attendant there had been a rush that died down about 20 or so minutes before I got there.

Vern, I agree with you 100%! And while P&G is working on bringing back Dash, Unilever can bring back their old "All" formula. That's another one I miss.
 
No Need To Travel Around The Country

As my statements were gleaned from reading research from detergen marketing services and from the likes of P&G as to why liquid detergents tend to dominate many local market offerings.

Of course local sales may vary but you'd be hard pressed to find powdered detergents in quite allot of areas and you don't hear many consumers complaining.

On another note this isn't the first time you've made a crack about one living in "the city" as some sort of splendid isolation. Didn't think much of those remarks at the time so held my fire, but just so you know do travel quite a bit around this country and world and while don't go poking my nose into people's laundry areas do often get to see what is on store shelves.

http://www.happi.com/articles/2000/01/detergent-market-update
 
Of the cities Flo mentioned he might visit, I can only comment on Miami, having just been there. I checked a Publix supermarket, the most popular chain in Florida, and found nothing at all of interest. I was told later that the store I went to is older and smaller than many, though.

A Winn Dixie on SW 22 Street/Coral Way had some Mexican Ariel, but the smell practically knocked me down and I couldn't imagine wanting to use it. I don't suppose it would be suitable for a Euro frontloader, anyway.
 
With respect to m'lady and all else, there is a HUGE extent to which marketing drives not only what is purchased but also what is available. And these parameters cannot logically be discerned remotely. It's logical to the marketing conspirators, but never to the customers. And it varies by neighborhood.

IOW, for example, if a store's primary demographic is led by marketing and marketing is pushing liquids, that's what the store will have and that's what the customers will buy. Whether it's good for them or not, they will BELIEVE it is.

OTOH, if marketing is pushing liquids but the primary demographic still doesn't like them, the store will stock powders because that's what sells. And again, none of this can logically be predicted from one neighborhood to the next.

Yes, it most assuredly was a great deal simpler a generation (20yr) ago. Before marketers adopted the "divide and conquer" method. If you want an in-your-face presentation of D&Q, watch politics. The exact same marketers who sell you detergent sell you national "leaders", using the exact same methods.
 
Bill it's kind of funny you mentioned that. My Grandma was an avid Dash user since it was introduced. And after it went off the market she switched to "All" and had used it ever since. I loved the scent of Dash and the old scent of All. I wish these companies would leave the scents alone!
 
Lawrence, don't worry, everything is ok. I did not take it the wrong way :)

Launderess, I have not checked that K-Mart but thanks, I will keep that one in mind and have a look at google maps, if it is not too far away. The hotel I use to stay is near Brooklyn Bridge (Brooklyn side).

jerod6, I stay at the Market Street in the Marriott Hotel when I am in Philly.

Supersuds, in Miami we I do stay at a Hotel at South Ocean Drive in Hollywood. There is a Publix and a Walmart near the Hotel. I have seen both. Walmart has a very poor detergent aisle and by the way they are rebuilding the store but not for a few months. They are already doing this for over a year and they don't come to an end !!! I actually do not remember the Publix's detergent aisle, but doesn't seem to be something special, otherwise I would remember.

Thanks to everyone taking part in the discussion and helping me out. I do appreciate a lot !!
 
K-Mart On Astor Place

Is right in The Village near Saint Mark's Place and NYU.

Many subways stop right there or on Broadway. The IRT line subway #6 stops at Astor place and the store is right there. Or, you can take any train that goes to Union Square (14th Street) and walk downtown/South to reach the store. The areas is wonderful and quite "hip" these days, especially Union Square south to the Village, so it would make a nice walkabout.
 

Similar threads

michaelz08
My thoughts on the Miele G7166
2
Replies
31
Views
458
foraloysius
foraloysius
A
It's Official - Tide Free & Gentle Powder is Gone for Good
2
Replies
35
Views
426
supersuds
supersuds
ryner1988
Ariel powdered laundry detergent
Replies
3
Views
62
askolover
askolover
H
Automatic dishwasher detergent that will not dull dishes?
2
Replies
31
Views
381
powerfin64
powerfin64
sudsomatic
P&G ERA Detergent disappearing from stores
Replies
9
Views
173
iheartmaytag
iheartmaytag

Latest posts

Back
Top