Assocasa-Federchimica presents the latest data from its Home Care Observatory, highlighting consumption trends, industry resilience and the transformation of distribution channels
Milan, 21 October 2026 – Assocasa, the Italian National Association of Detergents and Speciality Products for Industry and Households, part of Federchimica, today presented the latest findings from its Home Care Observatory, in collaboration with NielsenIQ. The data provide an updated overview of the Italian home care market and the key dynamics shaping the sector.
In the year ending August 2026, the overall Home Care market recorded a 1.5% decline in value, reaching a total market value of €4.531 billion.
Home Care market segments
The Detergents segment, which accounts for 56% of the total Home Care market by value, recorded a 1.6% decline. This downward trend affected all distribution channels, with the exception of drug specialists, which once again confirmed their position as the leading channel for the segment, accounting for 32.3% of sales by value.
The negative performance of Detergents was driven primarily by the Laundry segment, which recorded a 2.4% decline in value and accounts for 44.3% of the Detergents market. In particular, powder and tablet detergents for machine washing experienced the sharpest contraction, at 8.3%. The largest sub-segment, liquid detergents for machine washing, which represents 73.4% of the Laundry segment, also declined, by 0.7% in value.
Within the Dishwashing segment, contrasting trends emerged: dishwasher detergents grew by 1.4% in value, while hand dishwashing products continued to decline, down 4.7%.
Other Detergents recorded a 0.5% decline in sales value, mainly reflecting the negative performance of oven, metal and carpet cleaners, which fell by 7.9%. The only growing segments were toilet care products, up 0.3% in value, and other hard-surface cleaners, up 0.1%.
Laundry Aids recorded a 0.2% decline in value. Fabric care auxiliaries were the main contributor to the downturn, losing €9.2 million in sales. This decline was partially offset by the performance of fabric softeners, the largest segment, which grew by 1.2% and accounted for 52.3% of sales by value, and bleach products, which increased by 0.3%.
The Maintenance Products segment recorded a 1.9% decline in sales value. This contraction was driven mainly by air fresheners, which account for more than half of the segment’s sales. By contrast, dishwasher care products performed positively, growing by 3.0% in value, equivalent to an increase of €1.6 million.
The Pest Control Products segment also declined, down 4.5%. The main contributors were flying insecticides, which fell by 6.7%, insect repellents, down 4.4%, and moth repellents, down 2.4%. Crawling insecticides, however, recorded a 1.5% increase in value over the year.
Distribution channels
On the distribution side, the market showed a general contraction across modern retail channels: hypermarkets declined by 2.2%, supermarkets by 2.5% and small self-service stores by 6.4%. Discount stores followed the same trend, recording a 2.9% decline.
Drug specialists once again confirmed their position as the most important channel for the Home Care market and the only distribution channel to grow over the past year, with a 1.2% increase in value.
In 2026, e-commerce continued to grow at a double-digit rate, confirming its position as the most dynamic channel in the fast-moving consumer goods market. Within Home Care, online sales increased by 5.9% in value, reflecting the growing tendency of consumers to use digital channels to compare offers, purchase larger quantities or find specialised products.
These findings confirm a profound shift in consumer purchasing behaviour: Italian consumers are increasingly price-conscious and selective in their choices, while placing growing importance on well-being, time savings and value for money.
“The Observatory’s findings reveal an increasingly complex market environment. Pressure on purchasing power, the growing importance of well-being and time management, and evolving household needs are reshaping the rules of the market. Consumers are becoming more selective, but our industry has the resources to respond with expertise and innovation. The growth of e-commerce in the Home Care market is clear evidence of this,” said Roberto Ferro, President of Assocasa.
“In this context, our industry must continue to offer products that deliver real value by further improving their effectiveness and sustainability, making everyday life easier for households and responding to growing attention to well-being. The social role of detergents and cleaning products in safeguarding people’s hygiene and health remains the foundation on which we must continue to build,” the President concluded.
