Vinegar (yes, the product) was usually associated with the food flavouring. Little sprinkles over a salad, a touch in your rice, fries… sprayed over some leaves…
In the supermarket, you would find vinegar in the condiments, spices, food flavouring aisles… It was all about vinegar purity and quality…
In recent decades, there have been increased marketing and educational efforts by vinegar producers and independent health and cleaning advocates as well as the DIY and green living movements. This includes advertising vinegar’s natural and non-toxic properties as a cleaner.
Scientific studies like the ASM Study in 2014 and multiple endorsements (like this BBC article) have provided evidence of vinegar’s effectiveness as a disinfectant and cleaner. This has helped shift public perception.
Media outlets, blogs, and social media influencers have played a significant role in spreading the word about vinegar’s cleaning capabilities through tips, tutorials, and endorsements.
In the graph below, you can see how much interest has been generated in the term: Vinegar for cleaning. As well as cleaning, other terms like diet, fitness and weight loss have all emerged from 2015 onwards.
The obvious: yes, the vinegar market size has grown incredibly in the last two decades thanks to these repositioning efforts. The vinegar market size was valued at USD 11.2 billion in 2023 and is set to record 4.6% CAGR from 2024 to 2032 (Global Markets Insights).
Today, vinegar is considered an affordable product packed with benefits all around. It is non-toxic and safe for use around children and pets, making it an attractive option for health-conscious consumers. It is also biodegradable and environmentally friendly, appealing to eco-conscious individuals.
As an ingredient, it has become a great asset. Companies can enhance their brand image as environmentally responsible and health conscious. This can build customer loyalty among those who prioritise these values.
With so many great benefits, cheap (still), and especially such a positive market perception, thousands of innovative companies will continue creating new products based on this “new amazing product” that has never changed, but just repositioned itself.
Next time a client asks you what value a rebranding or repositioning can bring, you have here a simple, current and relevant example that you can utilise.
