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Unilever and Samsung have collaborated to launch the first laundry detergent and conditioner specifically engineered for auto dose washing machines.
We spoke to Eduardo Campanella, Unilever’s President of Home Care, about the science behind the new Persil and Comfort Smart Series® and staying one step ahead of a smart home revolution that’s prompting a significant transformation in the laundry sector.
Smart homes powered by smart appliances are accelerating at an unprecedented rate, driven by consumers seeking out solutions that provide seamless, automated experiences for everyday chores such as washing clothes.
This shift represents a major growth opportunity in the global Home Care category for the next decade.
And Unilever and Samsung are taking a big step forward in our partnership to deliver smarter, innovative solutions that ensure we stay one step ahead of emerging consumer needs.
Since 2024, we’ve been pairing Unilever’s century of laundry expertise across brands such as Persil and Comfort with Samsung’s leadership in smart appliances.
Working together, we’re integrating machine-level data, consumer insights and advanced design methodologies to explore what a fully optimised appliance and laundry products system could look like.
Now, Unilever is bringing our first launch to market that’s a direct result of this partnership.
And we’re ready. We’ve harnessed the cleaning and fragrance performance of our two major power brands and leveraged Samsung’s smart machine insights to create Persil and Comfort Smart Series®, a new laundry regime optimised for auto dose washing machines.
The smart washing machine market is already the leading the segment in smart homes. In the UK alone, auto dose washing machines are expected to be adopted by 24% of households by 2030, double the penetration in homes today.
And research by our Power Brand, Persil predicts that the auto dose washing machine detergent category will grow to around €1.5 billion by 2030 across five major markets.
Despite this market opportunity, until now there has not been a big brand laundry detergent and conditioner range specifically designed for use in these state-of-the-art machines. And existing solutions have not delivered on the precision performance auto dose washing machines can achieve.
Many of these challenges stem from the fact that detergents and machines have historically been developed independently, leaving consumers frustrated by poor cleaning performance, fading fragrance in the machine, lingering malodour and residue build-up.
To address these frustrations, Persil and Comfort have built on their world-leading proficiency in laundry formulations to design Smart Series®.
Persil Smart Series® Advanced Clean Non-Bio and Comfort Smart Series® Azure Bliss are recommended by Samsung and are suitable for use in all auto reservoir dose washing machines.
Specifically engineered using AI and robotics, these are the first big brand laundry products optimised for auto dose washing machines, and Persil and Comfort’s most technologically advanced detergent and conditioner yet.
Powered by PRO-CISION Technology®, they’re formulated to deliver a precision performance with advanced stain removal and fragrance that doesn’t dull or fade in auto dose machines, while helping to optimise dosing and prevent clogging in auto dose reservoir systems which helps maintain machine health.
Smart machines need a smart detergent. Which is why we’re test-launching Smart Series® in the UK where 12% of consumers already have an auto dose washing machine.
The launch also marks an important milestone in our industry-defining partnership with Samsung and will include data-led recruitment of Samsung auto dose washing machine users to be the first to test the products, enabling a feedback loop to optimise the product range and channel.
Persil and Comfort will also unveil Smart Series® with a bold social-led marketing campaign, giving consumers the opportunity to be product ambassadors and pilot ordering the new products via the direct-to-consumer channel, smartseries.com.
Our partnership with Samsung is redefining the future of laundry. And Smart Series is just the beginning.
As smart homes and auto dose washing machine adoption accelerates, Unilever and Samsung will continue to develop future-fit products.
By leveraging Unilever’s formulations expertise and Samsung’s energy-efficient auto dose washing machines, we’ll continue to help customers save precious time so they can focus on the tasks that matter most to them. And ensure we stay one step ahead in this dynamic laundry category.
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