hand take liquid soap from a box on the wall to wash hands

Demand for Industrial and Institutional (I&I) hand cleansers is forecast to rise 3.4 percent annually through 2022 to $926 million, with gains boosted by:
 • growing utilization of healthcare by an aging US population
 • increasing concerns regarding infectious disease – in particular in healthcare and other institutional settings
 • greater awareness of hand washing as effective disease prevention

Nonetheless, faster growth in demand for hand cleansers will be restrained by a high degree of market penetration of hand cleansers and concerns surrounding the growing prevalence of antibacterial resistance, in particular among HAIs. These and other trends are presented in Industrial & Institutional (I&I) Cleaning Chemicals in the US, 14th Edition, a study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Healthcare applications are expected to remain the largest market segment for I&I hand cleansers through 2022, although food-related markets – food and beverage processing and foodservice – will each account for a significant percentage of overall demand. Growth is forecast for retail and office settings, where use will be boosted by concerns regarding infectious diseases and increasing availability of hand sanitizer dispensers.

I&I hand cleansers are supplied by many companies, including large suppliers and smaller regional producers. In order to differentiate their products, hand cleanser suppliers have begun to seek “green” certifications for their products. These certifications include:
 • Green Seal certification
 • UL’s ECOLOGO Product Certification, indicating a product’s compliance with third-party environmental performance standards
 • USDA’s BioPreferred labeling