Household cleaning products are highly competitive for retailers due to being frequently used loss leaders with slim margins. Competition between brands is fierce as they try to outsell each other in the tough cleaning aisle category. SC Johnson led sales of cleaning products from 2006 to the first three quarters of 2008, followed by Clorox, while Jelmar saw declining sales.

11. “ Household cleaners might be considered one of the toughest aisles in the discount retailing business. Cleaning products and detergents have long been traffic-building loss leaders for many merchants. Competition among brands is fierce in this category, and margins are slim.” - BNET.com, Discount Store News , 1997

13. Source: HispanicMarketWeekly.com, March, 2009 Company: 2006 2007 Jan.-Sept. 2008 SC Johnson & Son Co. $7,266,533 $8,648,463 $13,075,048 Clorox $6,954,606 $6,502,137 $5,418,219 Jelmar (CLR) $1,696,692 $1,060,400 $406,431 Kimberly-Clark Corp. $0 $1,027,270 $4,790 Alcoa (Reynolds) $0 $321,070 $437,060 Industrias Alen S.A. de CV (Festival, Flash, Pinol) $44,548 $112,424 $49,692 Procter & Gamble Co. $37,152 $27,355 $0 Koch Industries (Georgia-Pacific) $0 $27,286 $438 Colgate-Palmolive $8,415 $19,379 $241,140 Reckitt Benckiser $441 $15,572 $4,396 Total: $16,045,700 $17,782,454 $19,685,194