Indian consumers today routinely examine ingredient lists on food, skincare and personal-care products before making a purchase, yet the same scrutiny is rarely applied to detergents, dishwashing liquids and other household products. These products are used every day and come into contact with clothes, utensils and household surfaces, while consumers often have limited visibility into their complete formulations. Unlike packaged food, home-care products in India are not generally required to declare their full ingredient lists, making it difficult for consumers to understand what individual ingredients do and why they are used. As the category evolves, the conversation is also moving beyond cleaning performance towards formulation, transparency and environmental responsibility, with global manufacturers exploring newer surfactants and preservation systems, including ingredients derived from renewable sources or designed to break down more efficiently after use.
Addressing this gap, sustainable home-care brand BECO has launched #WarOnWhatsHidden, an initiative that encourages consumers to look beyond front-of-pack claims and understand what goes into the cleaning products they bring into their homes. The initiative draws attention to Benzisothiazolinone (BIT), a preservative commonly used in liquid detergents and household products. Published scientific and regulatory material records that BIT can cause skin irritation and allergic skin reactions in susceptible individuals. The initiative also highlights Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS), a surfactant used in cleaning formulations, which the same published material records can cause skin and eye irritation.
Independent, NABL-accredited third-party laboratory testing of samples purchased from open retail found BIT and LAS in Surf Excel Matic Liquid (Top Load) and LAS in Vim Dishwash Gel (Lemon). That testing recorded 277 mg/kg of BIT and LAS upwards of 10% in Surf Excel Matic Liquid (Top Load), and LAS upwards of 8% in Vim Dishwash Gel (Lemon). BECO’s own laundry and dishwash liquids are formulated without BIT and LAS. The focus is on helping consumers understand what goes into these products, so they can make more informed choices about what they use at home.
The concentrations stated are based on tests carried out on the exact products and variants named, by an independent NABL-accredited third-party laboratory, on samples purchased from open retail. The statements as to what these chemicals can cause are drawn from published institutional and peer-reviewed material, including the OECD SIDS Initial Assessment Report on Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (SIAM 20, 2005), the NICNAS Human Health Tier II Assessment on Linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (C10-C16) (2014), IPCS International Chemical Safety Card 1189, and the NICNAS Isothiazolinones Human Health Tier III Assessment (2020).
Mr. Aditya Ruia, Co-founder, BECO, said, “Consumers have become far more conscious about what they eat and what they put on their skin, but the same curiosity has not yet extended to the products they use to clean their homes. At BECO, we believe consumers deserve greater clarity about the formulations they use every day. With #WarOnWhatsHidden, our aim is to encourage people to ask questions, understand what goes into these products and make more informed choices. This is about bringing transparency and awareness into a category that has traditionally received far less scrutiny and helping consumers make choices with greater clarity.”
The conversation comes at a time when home care is beginning to move beyond cleaning performance towards greater attention to formulation, transparency and environmental responsibility. Globally, changing consumer expectations and regulatory developments are encouraging manufacturers to explore more responsible formulations and clearer product information.
For India, this presents an opportunity to bring the same level of ingredient awareness seen in food and skincare into home care. As consumers become more informed, the question may no longer be limited to how well a product cleans, but also what goes into it and what happens after it is used.