Driving growth across data insights
Using Scintilla to find growth in the mature Laundry Detergent category
Scintilla helped us grow the business and become more profitable, by aligning more closely with customer needs.
In Mexico, where nearly every household already buys laundry detergent, Henkel needed to look beyond attracting new category customers to find growth. The team focused on Bodega Aurrera, Walmart Mexico’s discount retail banner. Shoppers were purchasing liquid detergent, but gaps in the assortment and shelf layout made it harder to find the sizes they needed. Using Scintilla, Henkel identified unmet shopper needs and worked with Walmart to introduce new size options and improve in-store visibility. The changes made liquid detergent more accessible to shoppers and helped Henkel drive sales growth.
The opportunity: A missing size revealed a new path to growth
Walmart Mexico was a major destination for laundry detergent shoppers, reaching six in 10 households. And half of that spend happened at its Bodega Aurrera stores, making it a critical place to unlock growth.
But Scintilla data revealed that liquid detergent was underdeveloped at Walmart Mexico compared to the broader market, where liquids made up 45% of detergent sales, according to industry data. By comparing performance across all the Walmart Mexico stores, the team found the clearest gap at Bodega Aurrera, which was one of the largest banners by sales, but had one of the lowest penetrations of liquid detergents in the category.
Further analysis within the Shopper Behavior Cross-Shop report confirmed that demand for liquids already existed. Nearly 74% of shoppers were buying liquid detergent, and 47% were buying both powders and liquids. However, Walmart Mexico’s assortment jumped straight from small to big sizes, lacking options in between. Closing that size gap could make it easier for shoppers to choose liquid detergent more often.
The approach: Meet shoppers where they already were
Henkel worked with their Walmart merchant to identify two ways to make liquid detergent more accessible: expanding the assortment and improving shelf visibility.
1. Assortment optimization: Fill the missing size gaps
Shoppers had options below two liters and four liters or more, but few choices in between, revealing that medium-size liquids was a missing option in the Liquid Detergent category.
To strengthen the entry-size offering, Henkel replaced the Ariel brand's pouch with a bottle, creating a more accessible entry point into the segment.
To close the gap in medium sizes, the team worked with Walmart to expand the Persil brand's 3-liter option nationwide and collaborated with Walmart's private brand team to launch three new Great Value items in just four months.
2. Purposeful shelving: Make the right sizes easier to find
Beyond expanding the assortment, Henkel and Walmart worked together to rethink how liquid detergents appeared on shelves. The shelf space dedicated to liquids was increased and medium sizes were moved to eye level. This gave shoppers greater visibility into the new options and made it easier to find the right size, leading to increased conversion.
The results: Outgrowing the market
The assortment and shelving changes helped Henkel and Bodega Aurrera accelerate liquid detergent growth and gain market share.
- Assortment optimization: Within eight months, Great Value became the number two brand in medium-size liquid detergents, capturing 33% market share of the segment. Replacing the entry-size Ariel pouch with a bottle also helped drive sixfold sales growth for that offering.
- Purposeful shelving: With more shelf space and medium sizes positioned at eye level, liquids grew from 32.6% to 38% of detergent sales at Bodega Aurrera. Shopper Behavior and Channel Performance insights helped the team measure the shift and understand what was driving growth.
The strategy strengthened demand for liquid detergent at Bodega Aurrera, where it grew 45%—more than three times the total category’s 13% growth.
That momentum also translated into business results. Liquid detergent sales grew 16.3%, outpacing market growth of 10.5% and delivering a 0.9-point share gain. A Shopper Behavior KPI Tree confirmed that growth came primarily from more shoppers buying liquids and purchasing more units per transaction, achieving the team's two key objectives.
The benefits extended beyond sales. Overall laundry fill rate improved by nearly eight percentage points, helping keep more products available for shoppers. Liquid detergents also offer twice the profitability of powders, with a 14% difference between segments, making the shift toward liquids more valuable for the business.
What began as an opportunity to close an assortment gap became a targeted approach for category growth, grounded in how Walmart Mexico customers actually shop.
