Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) market is expected to register at a CAGR of around 4% during the forecast period.

In 2020, COVID-19 impacted the global sodium lauryl sulfate market due to the raw material shortage. However, the surging demand for personal care products propelled sodium lauryl sulfate consumption.

Key Highlights

• One of the major factors driving the market studied is the growing demand for detergents and cleaning products and the rapidly growing personal care industry in Asia-Pacific.
• However, the bio-based alternatives and rising concern regarding the toxicity of sodium lauryl sulfate on both human health and the environment are expected to restrain the market growth.
• The growing application footprint across various industries will likely offer new growth opportunities to the market.
• Asia-Pacific dominated the global market with large consumption from countries such as China and India, followed by North America and Europe.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market Trends

Increasing Demand for Detergents and Cleaners

• Sodium lauryl sulfate is one of the most common active ingredients in laundry detergent. It is a synthetic detergent from medium to strong surfactants called alkyl sulfates. When used as a detergent, it offers advantages, such as strong cleansing power and high foam production at a low cost.
• Additionally, it is a highly effective surfactant used in any task requiring oily stain and residue removal. For applications in detergents and cleaners, the SLS compound is found in a very high concentration compared to its application for other products. Some of the detergents where SLS is used include floor cleaners, cloth detergents, and car wash soaps.
• Increased focus on safe food storage, the need to disinfect household surfaces, and requirements for hygienic garbage disposal are expected to drive the demand for SLS in the forecast period.
• The demand for laundry detergents is rapidly growing worldwide owing to the growing prominence of e-commerce and the rising penetration of washing machines in developing economies.
• In Germany, laundry detergents and cleaning products are increasing gradually yearly, as seen in this graph. By 2022, it had grown to around EUR 5.1 million (USD 5.9 million).
• In Italy, the home & laundry care market generated approximately EUR 4 billion (USD 4.6 billion) in 2021 and is expected to increase slightly over the following years reaching around EUR 4.07 billion (USD 4.7 billion) by 2026.
• Therefore, these trends above are projected to boost the consumption of sodium lauryl sulfate in detergents and cleaners applications.

Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market

• The Asia-Pacific region dominated the global market share. China is currently the fastest-growing laundry market in the world. In India, washing machine-based laundry products gained prominence owing to the changing retail landscape with the wider availability of different products across brands. This growth in demand for detergents is expected to boost the demand for sodium lauryl sulfate.
• Moreover, the demand for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) in detergents and cleaners applications was the largest. This segment is estimated to continue its dominance, during the forecast period, primarily due to the increasing household applications.
• Furthermore, the market for the soap, washing powder, and synthetic detergent industry in China grew at an average annual rate of over 6% in the past five years. It is due to increasing awareness about hygiene and development in the liquid soap segment.
• In 2021, China produced approximately 1.36 million metric tons of soap. That year, China exported around USD 963 million worth of soaps.
• Furthermore, liquid detergents gained penetration in India, even as handwashes. Detergent liquids had a penetration of 15.9% in July 2021 on a moving annual total basis, which went up to 19.8% in July 2022. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Procter & Gamble are some companies offering liquid detergents under their popular detergent brands, Surf Excel and Ariel, respectively.
• The increasing consumption of industrial cleaners in the country, supported by the rapid growth in the industrial segment, is expected to drive the market for sodium lauryl sulfate.
• Moreover, India's beauty and personal care market witnessed steady growth recently. It is owing to the increasing focus on grooming among people and increasing shelf space in retail stores and boutiques in India, which are stocking cosmetics worldwide.
• India is ranked fourth globally for generating the highest revenue from the beauty and personal care market in 2021. The Indian beauty and personal care (BPC) market accounted for approximately USD 15 billion in 2021.
• This rise in the demand for personal care products is expected to drive the growth in demand for sodium lauryl sulfate.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Industry Overview

The sodium lauryl sulfate market is highly fragmented, with the market share divided among many companies. Some of the key players in the market include BASF SE, Clariant, Solvay, Merck KGaA, and Sasol, among others (not in any particular order).

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