The detergents are super concentrated. But what about the price?
Super concentrate "2X" laundry detergents have swept almost all before them on supermarket shelves. David conquers Goliath? Some Consumer members don't think so - they're suspicious of the motives behind this orchestrated downsizing and fear it might be a price increase in disguise.
Unilever has launched its Small & Mighty 2X versions of Persil and Surf powders and 3X liquids, and Colgate Palmolive now has both Cold Power and Fab as Ultra 2X.
The manufacturers claim the new formulations deliver twice the cleaning power of the older concentrates so they've halved the dose and the pack sizes.
They say smaller packs will bring benefits to the environment as less cardboard or plastic is used in the packaging and fewer trucks will be needed to transport the products to stores.
Members' issues
Why smaller now?
Were we being ripped off in the past when the packs were bigger because of all the fillers in the detergents? Fillers are used to add bulk to the detergent (which makes dose sizes less critical) and to stop powders from caking. The new formulations have reduced or removed the fillers, raising the levels of active ingredients such as enzymes.
Why all at the same time?
There's a global trend to super concentrates in smaller packages. Manufacturers want not only to cut packaging and shipping costs but also to appeal to more environmentally conscious consumers.
Paying more for less?
The Australian consumer organisation Choice compared the dose sizes of a group of 2X concentrates with their older versions. Overall, the super-concentrated products lived up to their claims - you get roughly the same number of doses from a 500g pack as you would from a 1kg pack of the older product.
Unilever says the new 500g pack of Persil Small & Mighty 2X is the same price as the 1kg pack of the older product, so the cost per dose should be the same.
It's difficult to compare old and new prices. Fierce discounting (Persil High Performance at $1.89!) helped speed older products off the shelf as the new versions arrived to replace them. Our checks in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch during May found only the 2X products on supermarket shelves.
But a price comparison's not impossible. Our 2007 laundry-detergent test report (which used an average national price based on bar-code data) showed that Persil High Performance Concentrate cost 53 cents per dose. Inflation makes that equivalent to 56 cents now. In May 2009 we found prices ranging between $3.99 and $6.28 (which works out to 36 and 57 cents per dose) for Persil Small & Mighty 2X.
We didn't test Cold Power concentrate in 2007 because it was being reformulated - so we don't have old pricing for that product available. Prices in May for Cold Power Advanced 2X Ultra were between $2.25 and $5.10 (28 and 64 cents per dose).
Overdosing
It's important that you use the measuring scoop provided with these products and stick to the dosage recommendations on the package. If you regularly overdose - put in an extra five grams, say - you'll get fewer washes per pack without getting your clothes visibly cleaner. You could be paying as much as nine cents more per wash.
We say
- Our pricing information indicates that Persil Small & Mighty 2X should cost you roughly the same per dose as the previous Persil concentrate, if you measure carefully.
- It pays to stock up on laundry detergents when they're on special.
- We can't comment on the cleaning performance of these products (our members are sceptical) but we're planning a test later this year.
More from consumer.org.nz
- Stain removal - our A-Z guide to removing common stains
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I like to use liquid detergents and tried both persil and surf (made by the same company). I found the results and number of doses to be around the same as long as you measure with care. However, I also found that I was getting itchy rashes in wasteband and similar areas even with the sensitive ones. Tried a totaly different brand (not one of the ones we have had for many years) and no more problems.
I have used Cold Power for the last 8-9 years with no complaints. Now I am using the new concentrate with the same results - no complaints whatsoever!! I have always used less than the recommended amount of dosage and very effectively - still doing the same with the new concentrate and still getting great results. Very happy with the product overall.
I find the hard water needs more powder but adding a little washing soda to machine helps this then the amount stated on box works better
Diane
Picton
I am very happy with the new concentrate. I use persil, and managed to buy a huge 2kg package on special for $13.00 several weeks ago, which equated to 8 of the old boxes. I have been using it for weeks, I stick exactly to the recommended dosage, and have noticed no difference whatsoever. What is all the fuss about? I might add I do loads of washing (teenage daughter & farmer husband).
I am finding that the elastic in my clothes is losing its strecth after every wash even when using even less than the recommended amounts. Clothes that have kept their stretch for years have suddenly become loose and baggy. Is anyone else having this problem?
I would like to find some supplies of the old stuff!!!!
I was only commenting last week to my wife that the new "concentrates' are not washing our clothes so well. Seems to me its just another way of making a few bucks out of the poor old consumer through some marketing spin
I, by choice, use the liquid product for my laundry and am amazed at just how quickly this so called 'double' or 'treble' concentrate is used up! There is no way it washes a comparable number of washes to that of the 'old liquid bottle'. A giant rip-off.
ive never used as much as the package states, and i throw away the scoop they provide and use my own 1/3 size scoop, and my clothes come out nice and clean. they are there to sell heaps of their product, so why should they put less that heaps needed.