Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Spurs Hygiene Product Growth In Indian Households

More than half of Indian households now use toilet cleaners, a significant rise from just 19% in 2014. This shift coincides with the launch of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The campaign aimed to eliminate open defecation and improve waste management, driving the demand for cleaning products.

In 2024, 53% of households use toilet cleaners, and 22% buy floor cleaners, up from 8% a decade ago, according to Kantar data. This translates to 128 million new households using toilet cleaners and 52 million adopting floor cleaners. Marketing efforts by companies like Reckitt Benckiser, Hindustan Unilever, and Dabur also contributed to this change.

Rural Areas Embrace Hygiene Products

Rural India now leads the toilet cleaner segment, contributing 52% of sales. A decade ago, urban areas dominated the market, with 82% of toilet cleaner buyers and 90% of floor cleaner users in cities. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan helped spread awareness about hygiene in rural households, said K Ramakrishnan, MD, South Asia, Kantar.

The construction of rural toilets under the campaign played a pivotal role. Vaibhav Rathi, Dabur’s marketing head for home care, credited the program for raising awareness and boosting the demand for hygiene products.

Hygiene Industry Benefits from Cleanliness Campaign

India’s surface cleaner market is now worth ₹4,200 crore, with toilet cleaners accounting for ₹2,000 crore. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan helped over 500,000 villages achieve ODF (Open Defecation-Free) plus status, with rural sanitation rising from 39% in 2014 to 100%.

Films like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha also promoted the message of rural sanitation. Hygiene product manufacturers incorporated the campaign into their corporate social responsibility efforts, further embedding cleanliness in Indian households.

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