Dishwasher or manual washing-up?

Premium and ultra‑premium capsules are fueling growth in the machine dishwashing segment

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/12-2026.01

Premium focus

The Somat capsule and tablet portfolio has undergone a complete design refresh with the Classic, All in One Extra, 4in1 and 5in1 versions, and in 2025 Somat Gold tablets are replaced by the new Somat Excellence 3in1 capsules.

Ákos Mészáros
assistant brand manager
Henkel Magyarország

“Capsules remain among the most popular products in our portfolio and our primary goal is to reach as many consumers as possible with the Somat Excellence 5 in 1 capsule”,

informs Ákos Mészáros, assistant brand manager at Henkel Magyarország Kft.

Luca Dian-Meznerics
junior digital and brand
manager
Henkel Magyarország

“When it comes to our Pur washing-up liquids, consumers tend to choose either the lemon (strong cleaning effect) or aloe vera (gentler on the skin) variants, depending on which product benefit is more important for them”,

adds Luca Dian-Meznerics, junior digital and brand manager at Henkel Magyarország Kft.

EPR obligations are driving packaging reduction and refill innovation, while formulations increasingly highlight bio‑based surfactants, enzymes, and easily biodegradable components

Tradition and efficiency

In the dishwasher detergent category the discounter channel leads with a 29.9% share, followed by drugstores at 27.6% and hypermarkets at 23.2%. The most vigorous growth can be seen in drugstores (+9.9%), driven mainly by a 12% increase in volume. Discount stores also have the biggest share of the washing-up liquid market (30.1%). GeePower Manufacturing Kft.’s Ultra Daisy brand has a long tradition and it is positioning its 900ml product prominently on the washing-up liquid market, alongside the 450ml bottle format. Their hypoallergenic and lemon-scented product range has been expanded with a 5-litre size.

Judit Mosoni-Preisz
brand manager
GeePower Manufacturing

“It is an interesting phenomenon that there is stable demand for the traditional washing-up powder format. The 20kg bag of Ultra washing-up powder is preferred by public institutions, but the 500g product also remains popular. Thanks to its outstanding grease-cutting power and reliable performance even in hard water, it is a popular choice among consumers”,

 explains Judit Mosoni-Preisz, brand manager of GeePower Manufacturing Kft.

Trends and formulas

Brands and More Hungary Kft.’s portfolio contains the Green Emotion eco brand, under which demand was the biggest for the 500ml washing-up liquid in 2025: sales exceeded the same period of 2024 by 20%. Dishwasher detergent capsule sales grew the fastest, nearly doubling from the previous year’s level. Recently the company put the Scala laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent product range on the market.

Kinga Kiszner
marketing manager
Brands and More
Hungary

“We currently advertise Green Emotion and Scala products on our social media platforms and offer various package deals in our webshop”,

we learn from marketing manager Kinga Kiszner.

Dishwashing products are a low-involvement product category: the buying decision is usually made in front of the shelf in a matter of seconds, with habit playing a strong role. In Hungary price-sensitivity is driving consumers towards large, economical formats. Among dishwasher detergents packages containing many items at a good unit price are the most popular, while in the washing-up segment smaller bottles with a lower entry price tend to dominate.

Discounters and hypermarkets lead mass sales, whereas eco‑labeled, higher‑value assortments achieve their strongest results in drugstores

A fresher look

The Herbow and Souldrops brands offer products made from vegan, cruelty-free, plant-based and easily biodegradable ingredients.

János Schreiner
sales director
Herbow International

“Our most popular products are washing-up liquids, but this year we entered new segments with several new products, such as vegetable and fruit wash and a dishwasher rinse”,

reports János Schreiner, sales director of Herbow International Zrt.

Katalin István
former marketing director
Herbow International

“The Herbow brand is getting a new look, which is already evident in the new 3-in-1 fragrance boosters; the premium, modern visual appearance covers the entire portfolio, including dishwasher products”,

adds Katalin István, former marketing director of Herbow International Zrt.

Bramcke Hungary Kft. entered the dishwashing market in Hungary and Romania as a newcomer in 2025. Listings and sales are expanding month by month. Their portfolio is based on Kalyon washing-up liquid and laundry detergent products, La Magié sponges and cloths, and Caché air fresheners.

Péter Tamás
head of the
FMCG-division
Bramcke Hungary

“Our upcoming Smart Home product line deserves a special mention, as it is aimed at customers who are specifically looking for eco-friendly solutions and prioritise environmental considerations alongside efficiency”,

explains Péter Tamás, head of the FMCG division at Bramcke Hungary Kft.

Washing-up market remains stable, with a little growth

Guest writer:
Albert Szőke
senior consultant
YouGov

Looking at the trends of recent years, there has been no dramatic change in the washing-up category. On an annual basis 75% of households purchase washing-up liquid at least once, on average every quarter, with a stable basket size. 40% of households buy dishwasher detergent and/or salt, dishwasher cleaner, additives and rinse aid, 4.6 times per year.

In terms of value the total washing-up market continues to shift slightly towards the dishwasher segment. Currently 65% of the total market value is dishwasher detergent based (Mat Q3/2025), which is 2 percentage points higher than a year earlier. 63% of high-income earners buy dishwasher detergent annually, compared to only 24% of low-income earners.