The sectoral agreement on detergents aims to gradually increase and diversify the supply of products with reduced ecological footprint.
This sectoral agreement on detergents was signed in 2011 between the federal minister for environment and the various professional associations including:
- Detic (only exists in French and Dutch): the association of producers and distributors of soaps, cosmetics, detergents, cleaning, hygiene and toiletry products, adhesives, related products and equipment;
- Comeos (only exists in French and Dutch): the Federation of Trade and Services;
- Unizo (only exists in Dutch) and UCM (exists only in French): both associations representing independent small businesses and the middle classes.
Various steps were outlined and attached to goals to be achieved by 2019. These are:
1. an increase in market share by 10% of the products that meet the European Ecolabel criteria;
2. a considerable increase in the proportion of products meeting the concentration criteria. Providing more products in concentrated form not only reduces the packing size, but also minimizes impacts associated with waste and transport. This concentration program is naturally accompanied by many communication actions to consumers in order to encourage them to better measure the products.
Quantified targets for reducing the average washing temperature were also planned. In order to attain them more easily, communication actions to consumers are also conducted.