Tomorrow’s
News Sponsored by
maximum eco
Cleaning industry key trends for 2026
According to new research from cleaning manufacturer and distributor Robert Scott, the rising cost of doing business is the biggest challenge facing the UK’s cleaning industry.
Nearly 90% of cleaning professionals surveyed stated the rising cost of doing business had the greatest impact on their operations in 2025. This points to a more sustained challenge than originally anticipated, over 17% higher than the previous year, and over 85% believe it will remain a significant factor in 2026.
The survey revealed an increase in negative views on the ‘political environment’, with inflation and political or policy uncertainty both scoring 29.7%. Political uncertainty for the coming year increased to 35.71%.
When asked about what impact the government’s had on the industry, almost 60% thought it was negative. Over 97% said the increase in Employer National Insurance contributions had had a serious impact on day-to-day operations, as had the minimum wage increase (82%).
Looking at rising cost of living’s impact, over 70% said customers were spending less, with over 30% reducing investment in large purchases. Over 75% of those surveyed said customers are seeking better value for money, with over 39% saying customers were looking for solutions that reduce costs in areas like workforce.
Despite these pressures, sustainability continues to play a critical role in shaping the industry’s future. Over 87% of respondents confirmed the importance of sustainability, with supplying more environmentally friendly chemicals cited as the priority, at over 61%. Over 53% said cleaning product effectiveness was a priority, while 51% cited understanding the environmental impact or carbon footprint of cleaning products.
While reducing plastic waste continues to be a key issue, only 48% of professionals cited it as a priority, down from 60% last year.
It also highlighted that only around one third of customers are still prepared to pay more for ecofriendly solutions, indicating businesses must deliver on sustainability while considering value. ‘Demonstrating value for money’ was identified as the biggest overall trend for 2026 by over 40% of respondents.
Alastair Scott, Sales Director at Robert Scott, commented: “The cleaning industry has always adapted to shifting market pressures, and this year’s findings show the sector remains determined and forward-thinking, despite economic pressures. Cost challenges and policy changes are real, but it’s encouraging to see businesses respond proactively and continue to seek out smarter, more efficient ways of working.”
Another emerging area of innovation with potential is robotics. When asked what they thought would be the biggest cleaning industry trend in 2026, 28% said it would be robotic cleaning, up from 2% last year. The survey asked
20 | WHAT’S NEW?
‘How much impact do you believe robotics will have in the cleaning sector over the next five years?’ and over 47% thought it would have some impact, while a further 26% thought it would have significant impact.
Alastair continued: “In response to customer demand, Robert Scott continues to expand its cobotics offering, recently adding the MT1 Max and MT1 Vac. The MT1 Max builds on the impressive and industry first AI- powered scrubber dryer robot for large-scale environment with improved location technology, slope climbing, rain avoidance and obstacle handling features, while the MT1 Vac delivers powerful, industrial-grade suction, capturing everything from fine particles to larger debris with close- edge cleaning.
“This annual survey isn’t just about assessing industry views, but is also an important way for us to measure our performance in an increasingly challenging marketplace. Over 97% of respondents found our service in 2025 to be good or great, up 6%.
“The research explored customer satisfaction levels with Robert Scott. I’m delighted to report that 100% of respondents rated Robert Scott’s service as good or great – up from 93%. We also scored 100% for product availability and product recommendation, up from last year’s 95%.
“We’re very proud the industry rates our service offering and product availability so highly, but achieving literally top scores doesn’t mean we’ll become complacent. In 2026, our focus will remain on delivering products that improve cleaning efficiency, reduce environmental impact and provide tangible value for our customers.”
www.robert-scott.co.uk x.com/TomoCleaning
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78
