CLEANING & HYGIENE THE REAL COST
False claims, shortcuts and market distortion – what is the real cost to the buyers and end users of cleaning and hygiene products, asks Lorcan Mekitarian, Chair of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association.
In the away-from-home cleaning and hygiene sector, price is often a decisive factor. Buyers are under pressure to reduce costs, demonstrate value and meet sustainability goals. In a well-functioning market, price reflects quality, performance and compliance. However, when the wider economic context is particularly challenging, as we are experiencing today, false claims and shortcuts emerge and the balance breaks down. The result is market distortion – and it is this distortion that represents the real cost to buyers and end users.
In this context it’s easy for the vague, ill-defined terminology to proliferate. Descriptions such as ‘heavy duty’, ‘high quality’, ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘natural’ sound authoritative but frequently lack any agreed meaning. It means suppliers can present products as equivalent when they are not. For example, a centrefeed roll may look identical to another but be shorter in length. A plastic sack may be labelled as 737mm wide but in fact has been manufactured at 680mm in width. These and other shortcuts distort the market because they obscure meaningful comparison. Products that appear the same on paper are not the same in use. Inferior products can be sold at a lower price, not because they are genuinely more efficient, but because less material, lower specifications or reduced compliance sit behind the label. Responsible
manufacturers who invest in quality control, testing, ethical audits and regulatory compliance are undercut by competitors who do not.
For buyers and end users, this creates a false economy. Purchasing decisions are based on apparent cost effectiveness, yet the product proves the opposite. Cleaning chemicals that fail to perform as claimed increase usage, compromise hygiene standards or introduce safety concerns. Poor-quality tissue increases consumption and waste. Plastic sacks that split lead to double-bagging, additional labour and hygiene risks. Cotton mops with lower yarn content clean less effectively and need replacing sooner. What looks cheaper at the point of purchase often costs more in use.
Environmental and ethical claims exacerbate this distortion. As sustainability has become a priority, some suppliers have taken shortcuts by making claims that are exaggerated, misleading or unsupported by evidence. Buyers trying to do the right thing are faced with a marketplace where genuine sustainability is difficult to distinguish from greenwashing. Again, products appear comparable, yet the reality behind the claim tells a very different story.
Over time, this distorted market erodes trust. Buyers become sceptical of all claims, legitimate or otherwise. Price becomes the dominant differentiator, reinforcing a race to the bottom. End users experience inconsistency, waste and frustration, while responsible manufacturers are penalised for maintaining standards. It was precisely to address this market distortion that the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association developed its Accreditation Schemes. Their purpose is simple but powerful: to guarantee ‘what’s on the box is what’s in the box’.
Across soft tissue, plastic sacks, cotton mops and cleaning chemicals, our Schemes replace assumptions with clearly defined specifications, independent testing and inspection, ethical auditing and compliance with recognised standards. Performance is verified, quantities and dimensions are guaranteed, and claims – including environmental claims – are supported by evidence.
By removing ambiguity, restoring transparency and enabling fair comparison our Accreditation Schemes help re-balance the market. Buyers can make informed decisions based on true value rather than misleading price signals. End users receive products that are perform as expected and responsible manufacturers are not disadvantaged by doing the right thing. Our standards. Your guarantee.
https://chsa.co.uk 24 | TOMORROW’S FM
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