Unilever has today announced the launch of Persil Powergems, a ground-breaking new format in laundry detergent, for one of the country's best-loved brands. Persil Powergems is a unique innovation, with more than 20 patents and patents pending, and an €18 million investment in its development, led from Unilever's R&D centre in Port Sunlight, Wirral. Persil Powergems advanced gem formulation represents the first breakthrough innovation in the laundry category for a decade.

The launch reflects Unilever's significant investment and commitment to R&D and science-led manufacturing in the North West. Following its development at Port Sunlight, Persil Powergems will be manufactured at the site of William Lever's first factory in Warrington. Unilever sees great opportunities to use this home-grown technology in its other laundry brands in international markets in the future.

In creating Powergems, Unilever's R&D team sought to create a laundry product from scratch, using 100% active ingredients whilst being two times more concentrated than washing powder. In doing so, they have created an entirely new format for laundry detergent which has tested positively with shoppers who have previewed the product. Powergems new concentrated gem formulation removes stains effectively with less mess than a powder but with the care and intense freshness of a liquid, all in one product.

Powergems unique gem format uses fewer chemicals per wash and contains only active ingredients, to ensure it is twice as concentrated as Persil's current powder format. As a result, consumers will be able to use less product to get brilliant results. In testing with consumers, 92% of people said that Powergems exceeded their expectations and 74% rated the product as new and different compared to other laundry detergents available.

Gemma Cleland, Executive Director for Homecare at Unilever, said, 'When it comes to laundry, everyone wants to get the job done with great results, but with minimum fuss. That's why our shoppers tell us that they are looking for laundry products that make washing simpler and easier.

'As the first major innovation in laundry care in a decade, Persil Powergems delivers the ultimate washing experience with a combination of powerful stain removal, care and intense freshness, in a unique, new concentrated format. By offering shoppers this category-first innovation, we believe we will encourage further innovation in the category and help grow value for our retail customers and our business.

'It's especially fitting that Powergems will be manufactured at the site of our founder, William Lever's, first ever soap factory in Warrington. His mission was to make cleanliness commonplace while making life more enjoyable for the people who used his products. Today, that sense of purpose is still at the heart of our business. We seek to live sustainably with products that help people look good and feel good, where everyone lives within the natural limits of the planet. Powergems is a great example of our purpose in action.'

Rolling out now, Persil Powergems is available across Non Bio and Bio variants in 12 (RRP £5.00), 19 (RRP £8.00) and 30 (RRP £11.00) wash packs. Each pack features an easy to use twist and lock closure system, as well as a safe to use in-drum cap to help ensure the correct dose of Persil Powergems is used.

Unilever plc published this content on 23 June 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 23 June 2017 14:49:03 UTC.

Original documenthttps://www.unilever.co.uk/news/press-releases/2017/unilever-unveils-home-grown-world-first-innovation-in-laundry-with-persil-powergems.html

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