Q. When purchasing or using cleaning products from a store, do you look for information about ingredients in those products? If so, where?
- 54% say they regularly look for cleaning product ingredient information.
- 24% say they sometimes look for cleaning product ingredient information.
- 19% say they don't look for cleaning product ingredient information.
- 3% say it depends on the product.
Q. In your opinion, do cleaning product labels provide helpful information?
Why?
- 41% Ingredient list/Active ingredients
- 30% Provide directions for use
- 14% Provide warning/caution/safety information
- 11% Nothing
- 10% Side effects/Health warnings
- 6% They have all the needed information
- 6% Sometimes
- 4% Eco-friendly
- 3% Natural/organic
- 3% Trusted brand
- 2% Safe to use around pets
Why Not?
- 40% Don't know what the ingredients are
- 13% Doesn't include all ingredients
- 12% Lack of proof
- 10% Don't look at label
- 10% Health/safety information
- 9% Usage information
- 6% Difficult to read/too small
- 6% Need to do additional research
- 3% Nothing
- 11% Other
Q. What information do you look for on a product label?
- 89% How to use/product usage directions
- 59% Ingredients included in the product
- 43% Safety guidelines/first aid
- 38% Environmental information - Ingredients
- 22% Product disposal guidelines
- 22% Certification claims
- 18% Environmental information - Packaging
- 14% Ingredients not contained in the product
Q. If you knew that new labels with more information about ingredients would be appearing on cleaning products, would that knowledge tend to make you more or less likely to read the labels ?
Why?
- 34% Want to be informed
- 28% Ingredients
- 19% Curiosity
- 11% Safety information/warning
- 9% More likely to read (no reason given)
- 7% Easier to understand
- 4% Always read labels
- 4% Health information/warning
- 3% Environmental information
- 1% Allergens
Why Not?
- 32% Not interested
- 25% Won't change behavior
- 12% Too much information
- 7% Don't know what the ingredients are anyway
- 3% Don't trust company
- 16% Nothing
Q. What do you consider to be the three most valuable health and safety attributes for products?
- 48% Complete list of ingredients
- 36% Identification of chemicals of concern
- 34% Ingredients (in plain English) to help you understand what they are
- 34% How to address an accident or spill of the product
- 32% Possible irritants (skin, eyes, respiratory)
- 28% If and how the product was tested for safety
- 14% If it's hypoallergenic (unlikely to cause an allergic reaction)
- 12% Ingredients absent (Is free from or Does not contain)
- 12% All allergen information
- 12% Safety information about each ingredient
- 11% What ingredients are used for (function of each ingredient)
- 11% If it includes fragrance or is fragrance-free
- 9% Ingredient source information
- 6% Presence of contaminants
- 3% Presence of dyes or colors
- 3% The addition of additives/Amount of each ingredient
- 1% Complete list of fragrance ingredients
Q. What is THE most important statement or information a company or brand of cleaning products can provide that would assure you that (A) the company is transparent and (B) its products are right for you/your family?
- 33% Safe
- 29% Environmentally friendly/eco-friendly
- 24% Ingredients/full list of ingredients
- 22% 3rd party certified/tested
- 10% Sustainable
- 10% Reputation/trust
- 9% Effectiveness/concentration
- 9% Clear/concise labelling/usage
- 9% biodegradable
- 4% Non-toxic
- 4% Kid safe
- 4% Natural
- 4% Pet safe
- 3% All natural
- 3% Recyclable
- 2% Organic
- 2% How to dispose
About the Survey
The American Cleaning Institute Survey was conducted by Market Concepts among 324 consumers in an online survey with open-ended responses from August 2-23, 2019.