Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 5th February 2026 Issue no. 1196
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Cleaning sector remains resilient and committed to innovation despite continued challenges, new research reveals
According to new research from cleaning manufacturer and distributor Robert Scott, the rising cost of doing business is the biggest challenge facing the UK's cleaning industry.
Nearly 90% of the cleaning professionals surveyed in the research stated that the rising cost of doing business had the greatest impact on their operations in 2025. This points to a more sustained challenge than originally anticipated, as it is over 17% higher than the previous year, and more than 85% believe that it will remain a significant factor in 2026.
The survey revealed an increase in negative views on the 'political environment', with inflation and political or policy uncertainty both scoring 29.7%. Meanwhile political uncertainty for the coming year increased to 35.71%.
When asked about what impact the new Government has had on the cleaning industry, close to 60% thought that it was negative or very negative.
Over 97% said that the increase in Employer National Insurance contributions has had a serious impact on their day-to-day operations, as has the increase in the minimum wage (82%).
Looking at the impact of the rising cost of living on their businesses, over 70% said that overall, customers were spending less, with over 30% reducing investment in large purchases. Over 75% of those surveyed said that customers are seeking better value for money, with more than 39% saying that customers were looking for solutions that reduce the costs in areas such as workforce.
Despite these pressures, sustainability continues to play a critical role in shaping the industry's future. Over 87% of respondents confirmed the importance of sustainability to the sector, with supplying more environmentally friendly chemicals cited as the foremost priority, at over 61%. More than 53% said that the effectiveness of cleaning products was a priority, while over 51% cited understanding the environmental impact or carbon footprint of cleaning products.
While reducing plastic waste continues to be a key issue, only 48% of professionals cited it as a priority this year, down from 60% last year.
However, the research also highlighted that only around one third of customers are still prepared to pay more for eco-friendly solutions, indicating that businesses must deliver on sustainability while considering value. Indeed, 'demonstrating value for money' was identified as the biggest overall trend for 2026 by more than 40% of respondents.
"The cleaning industry has always adapted to shifting market pressures, and this year's findings show that the sector remains determined and forward-thinking, despite facing economic pressures," says Alastair Scott, sales director at Robert Scott. "Cost challenges and policy changes are real, but it's encouraging to see businesses respond proactively and continue to seek out smarter, more efficient ways of working."
Another emerging area of innovation with the potential to deliver significant efficiency gains - and one that is increasingly on the radar for industry professionals - is robotics. When asked what they thought would be the biggest trend in the cleaning industry in the coming year, over 28% said it would be robotic cleaning, up from only 2% last year. Looking at robotics, the survey asked: "How much impact do you believe robotics will have in the cleaning sector over the next five years?" More than 47% thought it would have some impact, while a further 26% thought it would have significant impact.
"In response to customer demand, Robert Scott continues to expand its cobotics offering and we have recently added the MT1 Max and MT1 Vac to our range," adds Alastair. "The MT1 Max builds on the impressive and industry-first AI-powered scrubber dryer robot for large-scale environments with improved location technology, slope climbing, rain avoidance and obstacle handling features, while the MT1 Vac delivers powerful, industrial-grade suction, capturing everything from fine particles to larger debris with close-edge cleaning.
"This annual survey is not just about assessing the industry's views but is also an important way for us to measure our performance in an increasingly challenging marketplace," explains Alastair. "Over 97% of respondents had found our service in 2025 to be good or great, up 6% from the previous year.
"The research explored customer satisfaction levels with Robert Scott, and I am delighted to report that 100% of respondents rated Robert Scott's service as good or great - up from last year's excellent score of 93%. We also scored 100% for product availability and product recommendation, up from last year's 95%.
"We are very proud that the industry rates our service offering and product availability so highly but achieving literally top scores does not mean that we will become complacent. In the coming year, our focus will remain on delivering products that improve cleaning efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and provide tangible value for our customers." Robert Scott is a fourth-generation family business, dating back to 1925 when the company was founded by Robert's father James Scott in a cotton mill. It has grown to become one of the UK's largest designers, manufacturers, importers and stockists of cleaning products for the professional janitorial market, and is also Europe's largest mop manufacturer, delivering over half a million mops each week to its customer base of over 1,500 businesses.
As well as boasting brands such as P-Wave, Exel, Toucan Eco and Robert Scott Robotics, the company is also the UK's primary supplier behind cleaning innovations such as Ecofibre compostable wipes, the Pro-mist mop and the Duop Cleaning Tool.
29th January 2026