ULVR Unilever Plc

By Sharon Terlep 

More Americans are buying cleaning products marketed as eco-friendly or all-natural, but not necessarily because they want to.

Cleaning mainstays such as Clorox wipes and Lysol sprays are in short supply in stores and online amid the coronavirus pandemic, leading shoppers to seek alternatives such as the so-called green brands they once passed over, retailers and analysts say.

"There are no mainstream products available, so as a retailer you look to satisfy consumers' needs with whatever products you can find," said Jason Kirsch, who operates the Corner Market & Pharmacy, outside Washington, D.C.

For weeks, he said, he has been unable to secure mainstream cleaning products, so he began to order any brands that had products available, such as Seventh Generation, an eco brand. "Typically, there is available supply of these alternative products," he said.

Store shelves with a handful of green cleaning products sitting next to empty shelves that once held big-brand wipes and sprays have become an increasingly common sight.

On Amazon.com Inc. and Target Corp.'s website, Clorox and Lysol products are rarely available. While even alternative brands have limited supply, items from brands such as Mrs. Meyer's and Babyganics are often in stock.

Some businesses that have used green products are switching to traditional cleaners, as well, cutting into supplies. Last month, Santander Bank, in an email to customers, said it was "reverting back to traditional disinfectant cleaning products."

U.S. sales of mainstream household cleaners jumped 77% for the four-week period ended April 4 compared with a year ago, according to Nielsen. Sales of cleaners branded as environmentally friendly, a still-small slice of the market, had a 71% bump in the same period.

Chemists and brands say products made with milder or natural ingredients are just as effective as traditional products in fighting coronavirus. Many customers feel more comfortable with a familiar brand right now because of the perception they are tried-and-tested or include more potent chemicals, analysts say.

For home cleaning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cleaning frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs and light switches, throughout the day with products that meet the Environmental Protection Agency's criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

"We are seeing unprecedented demand in our products, I wish it were under different circumstances," said Seventh Generation Chief Executive Joey Bergstein.

The brand, owned by Unilever PLC, has a line of household cleaners, baby and personal-care products. Its disinfectant products meet the EPA's criteria, the company says on its website.

Mr. Bergstein said that while some newcomers to the brand are buying out of necessity, many people are seeking out natural products as home cleaning becomes a bigger priority.

"The volume of calls we get from people asking where to buy our products is through the roof, so that's not just people looking for anything," he said. "People are cleaning so much now, they are trying to make good choices."

Procter & Gamble Co., maker of Tide detergent and Pampers diapers, has lost consumers to rival brands in cases where its products are in short supply, Jon Moeller, the company's finance chief, said Friday.

"There are consumers that are trying products that they haven't tried before but they aren't necessarily ours," he said, referring to the unit that makes Charmin toilet paper and Bounty paper towels.

Consumers have increasingly demanded more natural products, from food to makeup to laundry soap, in recent years. They have been slower to make the shift when it comes to household cleaners.

Eco cleaners are a niche market in the U.S., comprising roughly 4% of sales in the category, according to Nielsen. Americans spent more than $200 million on mainstream cleaning brands during the week ended April 4, and just over $7 million on green alternatives.

Roughly half of consumers are trying new brands, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP survey of 1,600 adult consumers conducted March 27 to April 1. In many cases, they are switching because their typical product isn't available or because they are buying from a different retailer which has different offerings, but more than 60% of those surveyed said they plan to stick with a new brand, PwC partner Samrat Sharma said.

Mr. Kirsch, the market owner, said in recent weeks even many smaller and natural brands aren't available. His advice to customers: "I've tried to steer people to bleach," he said. "It's still readily available and, when used properly, it's very effective."

Write to Sharon Terlep at sharon.terlep@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 23, 2020 09:00 ET (13:00 GMT)

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