Unilever has launched Persil Wonder Wash, a new laundry detergent specifically designed for short washing cycles.
Wonder Wash is available in three variants, Speed Clean Non Bio, Odour Defy and Ultra Care. These come in 31 or 55 wash packs with RSPs of £7 and £10 respectively. The Speed Clean Non Bio variant is superior on odour and fragrance, whilst being gentle next to skin; the Odour Defy variant contains extra odour-fighting agents; and the Ultra Care variant protects clothing by maintaining and restoring colours wash after wash. Packs contain 35% recycled plastic and are recyclable.
The new detergent has been designed for high performance in cycles as short as 15 minutes, while still being suitable for longer cycles. Unilever boffins have developed a blend of fast-acting ingredients, which activate as soon as the cycle begins, tackling everyday grime and malodour compounds in a matter of minutes, and in the most challenging washing conditions.
The launch is supported with a multi-million-pound campaign running from May and featuring eight-time Olympic sprint gold medallist Usain Bolt. With the tagline ‘Fast Just Got Better,’ the campaign includes TV, out-of-home audio, digital, social and in-store activities as well as consumer product sampling.
It comes in the wake of research which found that more than two-thirds (78%) of washing machine owners choose a cycle that lasts less than 30 minutes at least once a week, with the short cycle category currently predicted to grow 21% globally year on year. Research also revealed that ‘short wash’ searches have grown by 89% within the past year.
Eduardo Campanella, Business Group President, Unilever Home Care, said: “Until now, laundry detergents have not kept pace with changing consumer behaviours. By harnessing people’s enthusiasm for short cycles for everyday stains, we’re opening up the potential for a new category of short cycle products within laundry.
“Using over a century in detergent development, we’ve overcome a real technical challenge to offer outstanding performance even in the shortest timeframe and the difficult washing conditions of the short cycle.”
