Unilever has just launched Love House & Planet in the United States, a brand of cleaning products made from plant-based raw materials (though not exclusively), with easily recyclable packaging (not only the materials, but also because the labels are easily peeled off), and whose sources have high credentials for sustainability and social responsibility.
The product continues the same principles with which the Love Beauty & Planet cosmetics line was designed, launched in the middle of last year.
The products are expected to reach the UK market by the end of the year. “ Naturally, we already have a large number of brands with these characteristics in British supermarkets. It’s a market of around £80 million (Ethical Consumer Report) and, lately, Ecover is the brand that’s making the most noise ,” says Unilever.
Some chains, such as Tesco, also have a private label range of cleaning products with similar credentials, i.e., made from plant-derived ingredients, not tested on animals (cruelty-free), biodegradable, etc.
The next step brands are taking is related to the reuse of packaging. Ecover is working to bring to market containers that customers can refill in stores. Unilever and Procter & Gamble are combining this with direct-to-consumer sales. Along with several other brands, they have partnered with Terracycle to launch the Loop e-commerce platform. Terracycle will be responsible for collecting these containers from customers' homes and returning them to the brands to be washed, refilled, and put back on the market.
