Page 3 | NOW CLOSED: Ecover product testers review thread

whomovedmychocolate · 27/01/2012 18:23

Update I just had the delightful task of cleaning DH's deep fat fryer [bleee]

I used the washing up liquid. Two thirds of a bottle. But it didn't get it clean. I had very hot water Fairy and even Sainsburys own deals with it normally. Is there a knack? Do I have to leave it half an hour to soak or what?

IcanandIwill · 27/01/2012 19:23

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

Impression was that they were probably expensive and not necessarily as good as the chemical ridden products I normally buy that are often on offer and I presume cheaper. I liked the products. I tried the kitchen pack and felt that they were greaat for use on things like my daughters high chair or wooden worktops but not strong enough to tackle some of the fdirtier jobs!

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

The overall results were ok. I found that the multisurface cleaner spray was great for my little ones high chair and brought up my wooden worktops lovely. But I did get through a lot of the product quickly and felt that if I used them all the time it would cost a fortune due to the amount needed. Washing up liquid was nice but did not foam very much, spray did not seem to do as good as job as the cleaning fluid. Tried the spray on a dirty sink and it did not lift the dirt however the cleaner got rid of it straight away.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

These things did not jump out at me from the packaging. I think that they could have been made clearer. Compared to the other products under my sink the packaging was nice but seemed a little lost and wishy washy. The sensitive skin logo would make me think about buying the product as both DDs have excema but this did not leap out at me from the packaging. I do think the fact the packaging is made from renewable sugar cane is good but again it did not strike me when I first looked at the products.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

Yes both little girls have excema and I do adjust our products accordingly. Although I have so far not had to change my kitchen cleaning product buying habits. But I have changed washing powder and fabric conditioner for them.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I would sell them more in line with mainstream products. I think that the fact that they are envornomentally friendly should not be the only reason to buy them. After all we buy cleaning products to clean. However the fact that they are more gentle on child used areas would make me think about buying them. So perhaps sell them as child as well as environmentally friendly.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I may consider the cleaning fluid but not the spray, I used a lot of the spray but did not get a very good result. However the fluid gave a much better result with much less product. I would consider buying / recommedning this for use on the childrens high chair / table and my wooden worktops.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I dont think it has changed my perception of the brand, they actually met with my expectations of how the brand would be. I do like the products but with two small children I find that sometimes a tougher cleaning product that I use less of is what is actually called for.

simonthedog · 27/01/2012 22:31

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I had only tried the old style washing up liquid and washing powder before the trial and my impression was they didn't clean as well as other brands and were expensive.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I had the kitchen pack. I think the overall results of the products were very good. I loved the multi-action spray it smells lovely and cleaned well. Grease wiped very easily off the hob when i used it. The all purpose cleaner worked well too, at least as well as the product I normally use and also smelled good. I can't make my mind up about the washing up liquid, it did leave the dishes sparkling but it seemed very thin and I felt like I had to use alot to get bubbles. I have very dry hands anyway butdon't think the washing up liquid did them any favours.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I liked the packaging, it looked fresh and clear and pictures of the fruit made me feel it was natural. I was surprised, and pleased to see, the products were approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute. This would influence me to purchase a product if I saw it in the supermarket. I wouldn't have immediately recognised the sensitive skin logo. It is clear the bottle is made from plant materials but not from sugar cane. It is excellent that this is a renewable resource and that the bottles can be recycled but it probably wouldn't be a deciding factor in me buying the product. I know the bottles are designed to be refilled. It would be excellent if this could somehow take place in the supermarket.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
The only allergy issues in the household are to washing powder. We didn't trial this. I have used Ecover washing powder in the past with no allergic reaction.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I'd make it the same price as the competition and maybe have little refilling stations in supermarkets where it is cheaper to buy a refill.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Yes I would buy the multi action spray and the all purpose cleaner again if the price is similar to the products I would usually buy ( dettol spray and flash wooden floors). I would recommend them to friends because they do work and they smell lovely and are good for the environment.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I have been pleasantly surprised using the products and my perception of the brand has improved. I would always have rated the ethics of the brand but the difference is when the products work.

DharmaCeutical · 28/01/2012 13:25

I have the Laundry pack.

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I was very brand-loyal to Ecover around ten years ago when I had a flatmate with multiple allergies and more disposable income to spend on household products. I've frequently chosen Ecover Washing Up Liquid over the years, but a limited budget recently has sent me back to supermarket own-brands. I've always appreciated the fact that Ecover is kinder to the environment. My overall impression on this trial was that the products have been developed quite significantly since I used them regularly a decade ago and I've been impressed with the improvements.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I was very impressed overall. I haven't used any of the laundry products since having children due to price and a feeling that they wouldn't be effective enough. My two-year-old son thoughtfully provided an opportunity to test the stain remover straight away by pouring pumpkin soup down pale grey cotton trousers. I used the product as directed and was really pleased and slightly surprised to find that it had worked perfectly, even at 40 degrees. The biggest test was using the non-bio liquid on his re-usable nappies. I was not expecting a good result, having struggled with both liquids and non-bios before. I was really pleased at the result; the nappies were really clean with no lingering stains whatsoever. Once dry they came out a really good texture (not too soft which is best for absorbency) and the fragrance was subtle and pleasant. I used the fabric conditioner on a coloured clothes wash. I don't usually use a conditioner these days as find it a but superfluous and expensive, and I'm really picky about the scent. I didn't mind the fragrance of the Ecover version, and I liked that the clothes didn't come out feeling slimy as with other brands. I'm not sure it'd convert me to being a regular conditioner-user though.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I think the packaging is in danger of logo overkill, to be honest. If there are too many on one bottle it falls into the 'too much information' category for me. The GHI logo wouldn't be something I'd specifically look for; I'd like to assume that a non-bio environmentally-friendly product would fall into the 'kind-to-sensitive-skin' category automatically without having to display a logo to back that up. I did notice that the plastic was made from sugar-cane, but I can't say that I find that more impressive than packaging that's made from recycled plastic.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

None of my family have sensitive skin and I know that I can use the harshest / cheapest laundry products on their clothes with no ill effects. I do, however, have a very sensitive sense of smell, and I found the the Ecover laundry range to be the most pleasantly-scented of any I've tried recently.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I think that the Ecover brand has a public perception of valuing environmentally-friendly credentials over effectiveness so I'd want to communicate how much the formulations have improved. A slogan like "Ecover - not just for lentil-weavers", or something. (Can you see why I've never worked in marketing..?)

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I will carry on using the liquid, if the price suits as I'm expecting my second child soon and need to switch back to non-bio. I have, in fact, already recommended the non-bio liquid to a fellow real nappy user. I have become the kind of woman who recommends household products. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, ECOVER?!

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

Yes, my perception has changed - I know now that the formulations are reliable and effective enough to shift the worst that a toddler can throw at it. I'm genuinely impressed. I haven't looked at the on-the-shelf prices of the brand for a while and being on a tight budget that is still the catch as to whether I'd carry on using the full range.

Thanks for a really useful and interesting product test.

MNHQ

AnnMumsnet · 28/01/2012 16:39

DharmaCeutical

OP posts:

FreckledLeopard · 28/01/2012 18:50

I received the laundry pack:

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I'd used Ecover washing up liquid before, and occasionally the laundry detergent. I thought the washing up liquid was good - worked well, nice smell etc, but hadn't been convinced by the effectiveness of the laundry detergent. I liked the idea of using Ecover if it was as effective as other brands.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I found Ecover to be effective where the clothes weren't especially grubby and needed 'freshening up'. I tried the stain remover on a large, greasy, oily stain on my white dressing gown (no idea what it was or how it got there ) and whilst it's faded somewhat, it's still there and I think I'm going to have to try and more hard-core stain remover. In terms of whites in general, I didn't feel that Ecover made them really clean, nor did they smell as 'fresh and clean' as they do when I use other detergents.

I like the fabric softener however, and notice the difference it makes on the clothes.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I didn't immediately notice the logos or the fact that the plastic is from renewable sugar cane (which I find impressive) - the first thing that strikes me is the colouring of the branding - the blue/green combination that suggests its environmentally friendly.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products

DD and I have mild eczema which can sometimes be triggered by certain laundry detergents. I wasn't affected by Ecover and DD doesn't appear to be either. Overall, though, I'd rather have really clean clothes and suffer the skin irritation than vice versa.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

In terms of the brand and the pricing, I'd want to know that the product worked as well as other brands such as Bold/Persil/Fairy which are often on offer. Not sure about how to 'sell' the brand to consumers - obviously focusing on green credentials is good, but I find the packaging a bit off-putting and 'mild' - it doesn't suggest effectiveness or real 'cleaning'.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I'm unlikely to buy the laundry products in the future. I wouldn't recommend them to a friend as I just don't find that they do the job. I tend to try and get my laundry products on offer - multibuys or half price etc and will continue to do so.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

My overall perception hasn't changed. I respect the brand for what it's endeavouring to do, but don't feel that it's achieved its aims yet.

ClaimedByMe · 28/01/2012 19:13

I tested the Laundry Pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

Before using the products I didnt think they would work as well as the products i used. I tried them when my son was a baby as he had bad excema and i thought it would help but it didnt! I am really surprised by the products, very impressed!

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

The results were the same as the products i am using already whicj is not what i expected, it did the job. I wasnt sure if i liked the smell of the washing liquid at first but its grew on me as the weeks gone on andi preffered the smell of the yellow sample of softner than the big pink bottle but they were both nice.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I liked the packaging, the logos are not really too important to me but it was interesting to read. Its not clear on the bottles that they are made of sugar cane, its not important to me but i was surprised as i didnt know bottles could have been made from renewable sugarcane.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

No one has any allergies or sensitive skin, my sons skin sometimes dries out if I dont use non bio laundry products, there has been no change using the ecover products.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I would put on the Non-bio washing liquid where to put the liquid in the machine, as i usually use powder i was a bit confused as any other liquids i have had to put in balls in the drum, i did go on to the ecover website that has clear instructions on what to do with the liquid! I am not sure how i would sell them to the consumers, the products look good so i wouldnt change, i dont see many TV ads trying to sell ecover products!

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I think i would buy them in the future, i have not looked at the price of them but the bottle of liquid is lasting longer than a box of powder, i would have to work out how much more expensive using the products would be. I would reccomend to friend if they were thinking about changing brands as the products worked well.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

My thoughts and feeling have totally changed, i never thought the products would wash well and i am surprised and pleased that they did! My pereception of the brand has changed good for the envirnoment and good for my dirty washing!

Hassled · 28/01/2012 21:13

I had the bathroom pack, but also got the fabric conditioner and a washing powder sample, as well as some washing up liquid.

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
Yes, I'd used the products years and years ago - probably when they were first launched. I believed in the ethics of the product, but stopped using them because really, they were very poor. And expensive. I've continued to value the environmentally friendly ethos and am generally fairly "green", but never returned to Ecover purely because I believed the products to be of poor quality.
Overall impression this time - very good. A lot better, certainly on a par with other supermarket products. What I haven't done is compare cost, but assuming there's not a massive difference between say, Mr Muscle and an Ecover product, I would certainly buy the Ecover product.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
They were much better than I expected. The limescale remover didn't magically rid my taps of the limescale buildup, but then I didn't expect it to - no other product has managed it. But it shifted the less-dense limescale sheen that surrounds my shower between cleans, and certainly did something good to the shower head. The bathroom cleaner was fine - I didn't go "WOW! It gleams!" but it cleaned the bathroom. The washing up liquid was great - a reassuring amount of suddsiness.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
I have to confess that I've only had a cursory glance at the packaging and had no idea about the sugar cane. I love Ecover even more now I know that. And despite two bathroom cleans, the sensitive skin logos have passed me by completely - had I noticed, I would have been pleased - husband and youngest son have eczema.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
See above - family members have eczema, and my product purchases are to an extent guided by that.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
Improvements - bearing in mind I don't know how the cost compares to a bog standard product so don't know if Ecover needs to think about price, I can't think of any immediate improvement. Selling to customers - as I said in Q3, the packaging passed me by completely. I used the products several times without registering any environmentally friendly or skin friendly claims on the packaging - possibly I'm unusually unobservant, but you maybe need to ensure that people like me can't escape noticing your green credentials and the ethos of your company. The name alone isn't enough - while I'm stood in Sainsburys wondering what bathroom cleaner to buy, the reasons why it should be Ecover should be leaping out at me.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
Yes and yes. Assuming they are not double the price of a bog standard product, of course. Most people are inherently "green" by instinct, but give them a choice between buying an environmentally friendly expensive cleaning product and more fruit and veg for their kids, and they'll pick the latter.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
My perception of the brand has changed, and for the better. Ecover used to be worthy and admirable, but a bit shit. Now they're worthy and admirable but do a good job.

Hassled · 28/01/2012 21:52

I meant to say I liked the smell of the bathroom products. Hygienic-smelling, and fresh, but not hospital-like. Just right.

And the cream cleaner - are you sure you're not wasting your time here? Do people really still buy cream cleaners? It was no better or worse than my recollection of Jif, back when that was the only cleaner you could buy - i.e. a bit gritty and hard to rinse off. That's not Ecover's fault, it's Cream Cleaner's fault. Most people have moved on, haven't they?

Dysgu · 28/01/2012 22:10

We are using the Laundry Pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

We had never used any Ecover products before. A (very green) friend swears by them but I have never been too sure about how clean their clothes (or house ) are, so had never taken up their recommendation for the products. When our box of goodies arrived we were very excited about trying some new products. DD2 and I have excema and, having tried other products, are Fairy fans. The girls liked the smell of the products - especially the pink fabric conditioner.
Having done 4 or 5 washes over the past week or so with Ecover, I am generally pretty pleased with the results. I think most of the clothes have come out as clean as they would have done with Fairy, although I have made a point of trying to wash 'stained' (DD2's) pants and (DD1's) school polo shirts straight away to see what the stain remover can do. It has done a good job and the girls have really enjoyed helping with the laundry!

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

Cleanliness seemed to be the same as for our usual products. I do not usually use a fabric conditioner or softener (is there a difference?) so it has been nice having soft clothes, even when they have been left to dry on the clothes airer. The stain remover coped with stains but I made a point of putting the stuff on as soon as possible, whereas polo shirts will often wait until the end of the week to be gathered up and washed together. I am not sure if the stain remover would have coped as well if the stains (paint, blackcurrant juice) had had more of a chance to dry.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

The fact that the packaging is made from renewable sugar cane strikes me as rather clever and interesting. I think it sounds better than recyclable plastic but am not sure why, perhaps because of the source materials? I must admit that the logos and other logos on the packaging had little impact on me, although I do like the toned down colours rather than the bright colours on other brands.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

I was particularly keen to try a product that is kind to sensitive skin due to DD2 and my own issues. I am not sure which I would prefer to put up with - itchiness or less-clean clothes, I want both. So far it seems that Ecover is being kind to our skin and we have no issues.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Again, as others have said, I think the brand does have a sort of 'lentil weaving' attachment that may have put me (and others) off. I think a focus on the effectiveness and how suitable it is for more mainstream consumers would help sales. I have not compared it with the price we pay for our usual product, although that can often be bought on special offer. I have never noticed if Ecover is offered at special prices.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

I will compare Ecover and my usual product to see how the price compares as I would consider buying Ecover again. The fabric conditioner is nice for the clothes I dry on the airer (as opposed to using the tumble drier) so I might purchase some more of that in the future as we like the soft clothes.
Reading the other comments, I think we would consider buying other Ecover products - particularly for the bathroom.
As my products were delivered as work, my colleagues have been interested in the results and I have been able to offer positive feedback, although I am not aware of anyone looking for a recommendation; I think most people tend to stick with a product once they find one they like.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I am really enjoying using the products and am impressed with the results. I do feel a bit 'good' in having Ecover products as they seem to imply a caring nature type of thing!

gazzalw · 29/01/2012 12:07

Bathroom Cleaning Products

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I've always been very in favour of them but DW begged to differ although she had tried them in her affluent/pre-kids days. Her view was that they just didn't do the job required of them and this comes from a woman who never buys branded goods unless she thinks that others aren't up-to-scratch...

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

We had the bathroom cleaning products to trial.

DW was pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of the limescale cleaner - seemed to think it worked a lot better than when she previously used it in the 1990s. However, the fact that it is a foam that doesn't necessarily easily show in the toilet bowl is a bit of a negative - as the children are conditioned to not flush the loo for hours if they know there's blue limescale remover doing its potent job and of course a foam doesn't show in quite the same obvious way to children!

Also, with sprays we felt that we were using more than perhaps we should have been and that might not be very cost-effective in the long-term

None of the products left a horrid cloying, chemical smell in the bathroom which is a plus.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

Generally impressed with the bathroom products and the non-bio washing powder sachet we trialed. The washing-up liquid was okay but think that after years of trying other brands, DW is just a Fairy-queen and won't budge (sorry).

I like the packaging but then DW's gripe wasn't ever with that! Brilliant that fully recyclable and made of sugar cane an innovative bonus. couldn't find that information fully detailed on the containers though!

What a pity we can't just take the containers into supermarkets and top up (as the Body Shop used to do).

None of us has particularly sensitive skin so that wasn't really an issue for us.

DW likes unobtrusive packaging and the Ecover stuff certainly fits that criteria. It does manage to convey its green credentials without shouting about it!

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

Not particularly an issue but as DW tends to do cleaning without wearing rubber gloves it is nice that they're not going to irritate.....

She's always been a fan of non-bio washing powders dating back to when the children were babes in arms so liked that!

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Maybe consider colour coding the lids/spray attachmements by function (bathroom/kitchen/washing) so that it is easy to identify which one is which when pulling out of cupboard (given that the packaging is very similar)!

Make more of the fact that they are natural and not full of toxins?

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Well we are a green family so think DW has been convinced by the limescale remover and the washing powder in particular. To some extent it will depend on what good deals she can get on them in the supermarkets (i.e. multi-buy deals or loyalty cards especially for Ecover products?) as she is not one for spending more than necessary on cleaning products. However SIL tends to bulk buy from websites so maybe that we can work out some sort of bulk-buying and sharing deal with her and save money and the planet!

If I was talking to friends and family members who aspire to green living I would talk about them positively but wouldn't go out of my way to market to people who weren't!

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

DW thinks the products have improved greatly since she last tried them all those years ago. She thinks she would use them if the price was right and if there were possibly other incentives to buying Ecover products (although she's not sure what!) - something in line with the green ethos of the company though.

I'm pleased that she is being more-open minded about using them. Now that she's used them in the here and now, she is more likely to think of using them when scanning the relevant supermarket shelves!

gazzalw · 29/01/2012 12:17

PS Thank you for letting us trial these products. And it has to be said that doing so meant the bathroom got a clean sooner than it usually would have done! So everything sparkles today!

Groovee · 29/01/2012 13:48

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried? I had known about the washing up liquid as a lot of the nurseries I work in, use it. I also use it at home. I like the idea of them but had never actually looked further in to them.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product? I had expected a power or tablets not a liquid washing powder. I rarely use fabric conditioner but the smell is light rather than over powering. I work in Nursery so do need to wash my clothes a lot due to mess etc. I felt they cleaned them well with less than I would normally use. I haven't had a chance to use the stain remover yet but the fabric conditioner and washing liquid have been fine for us.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you? I felt they were packaged well and I like the fact the lids fit inside the necks of the bottles allowing me to not create mess everywhere. Sensitive skin is essential in our house and we've had no reactions. I like the fact the packaging is recycled and can be recycled again once I am finished. Although the bottles are possibly more flimsy than normal bottles you would buy, I felt them very sturdy.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products? My son has eczema and has had no reactions to the laundry pack which can sometimes be a nightmare, but for once it is good for his skin and he says the clothes feel fine against his skin.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers? I would offer a range of trial packs as sometimes a big pack and large price can be off putting, plus you can buy big packs which then do not work for you and your family. This would then allow people to try ecover without a massive outlay.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why? I will consider using the washing products and trying the cleaning products depending on price. I would definitely recommend to a friend ecover washing up liquid, fabric conditioner and washing liquid.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how? It hasn't increased my perception but has made me consider changing over to their products if the price is right.

Ragwort · 29/01/2012 15:13

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

My thoughts were that it was a bit 'worthy' and very 'green'.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I have not been very impressed with the products; they all look very nice but (as expected really) in my opinion they did not 'do the job', I don't think they are as efficient as the products I currently use. I did not notice any particular smell; ie: it was very mild.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

The packaging was attractive; however as I have no sensitive skin issues in my family I am not particularly bothered about that aspect. I do respect the GHI logo. I like the fact that the plastic is from a renewable source - although this was not very clear.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

Not at all important.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Make it more efficient ie: to do the job it is supposed to do. It will sell to those who are heavily into environmental issues, but not everybody is.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Highly unlikely - I just didn't find them particularly effecitive. I would not recommend them as I don't think they are good enough ie: the washing up liquid seemed very weak, I used the small bottle in just two loads of washing up (and I have a dishwasher ). I like products that have a strong 'smell' and these didn't. The washing powder wasn't very good, I had a couple of small make-up stains on my pillowcases and it didn't get them out.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

Not particularly impressed (sorry, appreciate the samples !) - I am brand loyal to 'Fairy' for washing up and 'Flash' for general cleaning and I think these products are much better.

Tequilamockinbird · 29/01/2012 17:07

Laundry Pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I had never tried Ecover products before although I had seen them in the Supermarkets. I was never really drawn to them before hence not buying them.
Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
The overall results from the laundry liquid and fabric conditioner were really good. the washing smelled fresh and was clean. The stain remover wasnt all that effective though, or at least it wasnt on DH's mucky collars! When I smelled the products in the packaging before using them, I was a little apprehensive as to what the washing would smell like after being in the machine - as they dont smell very nice in the bottles - I was pleasantly surprised though. Clothes and towels were also very soft after using the fabric conditioner
Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
I thought that the packaging was a little boring to be honest, and thats also probably why I'd walked past the products so many times in the supermarkets. The GHI/sensitive skin logos arent that important to me personally as we don't have anybody in our household with sensitive skin. I'm very impressed that the plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, I did notice it on the packaging. Is this recyclable though?
Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
Nobody in my household has sensitive skin or allergies so this is not important to me
Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
I would make the packaging a little more attractive. Something that will stand out on the shelves, also improve the lid on the laundry liquid as when you've measured the liquid into the drawer and then put the lid back on, the remnants run down the side of the bottle.
Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
Yes I would buy the products in the future, as long as they are competitively priced against other leading brands. I would (and have) already recommended the products to friends because of the environmental benefits and also how nice and clean the washing smelled after using them
Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
It has changed my perception of the brand, I'm very impressed

morecoffeepleaseholdthecake · 29/01/2012 18:47

I tested the Laundry Pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I have always assumed that Ecover products were kind to the environment; gentle to sensitive skin; not as effective as other brands and more expensive than the current big brands and supermarket brands. I had not tried any of the products before. Overall I was suprised at how good the products were. They smelt lovely, cleaned really well and did not irritate our skin.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

Laundy liquid- I normally use a powder for my laundry, so this was a new experience for me! I have a large load machine (8kg) and used 2 capfuls of the liquid in the draw. I found this cleaned our clothes really well. I washed school uniforms, football kits, bedding (inc childs bedding after he wet the bed!), towels etc. I found the amount to be spot on. The clothes came out clean and smelling fresh. I think I would have preferred a dosing ball to go in the machine for the liquid, rather than in the drawer as the liquid ran straight down into the machine.

Stain remover- This is something I do not usually use. I do have some in the back of the cupboard (Vanish I think) but in my experience, they rarely work. I only tried the Ecover stain remover on one item as there was not anything else that needed it. I used it on a pair of tracksuit bottoms that were worn by my 5 year old to football practice. They are light grey and had black ground in stains on both knees from astroturf! I treated one knee with the stain remover (as instructed on the bottle) and left the other knee untreated. I was amazed to find it worked! The treated knee was stain free and the untreated knee was still marked.

Fabric conditioner- This smelt really nice, not overly perfumey. It was subtle and fressh. Again, I used 2 capfuls for my 8kg loads. This was fine and clothes and towels came out smelling lovely and were very soft. I was suprised at this as I thought they would not smell as nice or be as soft as other products I used.

The products exceeded my expectations. They did what they needed to do.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

Good packaging. Bright and colourful. I thought the products were great and looked like they could hold their own against the other brands. I did notice the GHI logo and assumed it had been product tested by 'real' people who recommended it... I would definately consider buying a product that had "recommended by mumsnet" on it! I did not really notice much about the packaging, although I have just been and checked and have seen it is made from 95% natural plant products. I think this is great- maybe it should be highlighted on the front of the bottle?

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

My husband has eczema, although we do not use products that are specifically for sensitive skin when doing our laundry. It was good to know that these products woild be kind to our skin. The products did not irritate our skin.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

Make the pack sizes bigger to make them more compatable to the leading brands. I tend to choose bigger packs as they are generally better value. I would offer a reusable dosing ball (either request one to be sent for free/have them available to buy separately/ have them free with 'special packs' occassionaly for example). If the products could be slightly cheaper or given a promotional offer occassionaly I think this would boost sales.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Yes, I would definately buy these products in the future. I would also recommend them if asked. I would also be interested in testing the other products that Ecover make! ... let me know if you need any more products tested for you!

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I think the products I tested were great. I would now look at them differently when purchasing laundry products. I would compare them to others not just on how eco friendly and kind to skin they are, but also for their ability to clean and soften clothes, in my opinion, as well as other products I have used.

J4D3 · 29/01/2012 18:51

I didn't have a particular product pack - I don't know how or why but I ended up with most of the products. I think the only one I was missing was the multi purpose cleaner!

Q1.
I had never bought Ecover for my own personal use before. A pub I used to work at used them but I was a student then and cleaning products were not something I was bothered about! There was a shop in Bristol that sold Ecoover stuff and offered refills too but I have never seen them where I live now. My overall impression was surprise when I opened the box to see so many products and most of them full size too! I'm happy to try new products and was looking forward to trying them all out.

Q2.
As I said, I didn't have a particular pack I ended up with most of the products. The majority of products were great They all did exactly what I expected and more. The only real let down was the washing up liquid - you just can't beat a good old bottle of Fairy I'm afraid. I enjoyed using all of the products bar the lime-scale cleaner. It smelt very noxious and I had to open a window while using it - at 17 weeks PG I'm careful about what I expose my body to and I just didn't like the lime-scale remover one little bit. It was also the only product that caused my skin grief as although my hands aren't overly sensitive, scrubbing with cleaning products does usually irritate my skin. All of the other products were very mild and caused no reaction whatsoever.

Q3.

The packaging is very minimal with very little fuss. I like buying products where you know millions aren't spend on designing the bloody packaging - usually I avoid the all singing all dancing look-at-what-I-can-do labels, so I thought these products were pleasing on the eye. I did like how big the squirter levers were on the bathroom / lime-scale products were, I've got very weak and tiny hands and sometimes find this type of product hard to squirt but these were easy peasy.

I don't always look for the skin logos but I am always very conscious about how 'powerful' these cleaning products can be. My hands don't like the really intense ones.

I do look for recyclable packaging in almost everything I buy as I'm a recycle-whore. Recycling is important to me and I was happy that Ecover fulfilled this love of recycling of mine! I was remarkably surprised however that the packaging on the Non-bio powder was the only one that WASN'T recyclable. I found this a bit odd.

Q4.
This is quite important for cleaning products but some brands don't always make it obvious that their product is suitable or not. My husband has asbestos hands but my skin can be quite unpredictable. I know that cleaning products and washing powder will make it worse sometimes so I'm always careful. Because of this I tend to stick with the products I know and have tried before, creature of habit I suppose! I liked having the chance to try something new that wasn't going to cost me anything (cos I'm cheap) and I was really happy to find out that there are now more products I will be able to use.

Q5.
If I was in charge?! What a tough question! I was happy with the majority of the products I tried. I would maybe put the cream cleaner in a different bottle as when I put the bottle down after squirting some on my sponge some sploshed out and went in my eye!

I would make the scent of the fabric conditioner much stronger and longer lasting. It disappeared once I'd tumble dried them and this was a week ago, the clothes now don't smell like anything where other products still leave clothes smelling fresh in storage.

I'd sell them using the safe for sensitive skin tag line, as although people are concerned about sustainability and recycling, these don't tend to be the deciding factor as to why you buy a product. Obviously price is another factor and I think the refills should be a little bit more publicized.

Q6.
Yes, yes yes. I loved all of the cleaning products, they were great. I've already mentioned them to a few people and I've taken the cleaning products into work so the other girls can have a go of them. So far so good!

Q7
I didn't really have any perceptions before trying brand as to me they're still cleaning products. I'm thankful for having the opportunity to try them and if I see them in the local supermarket, I'll definitely buy them when my current products run out.

Here are my ratings out of ten for each of the products I had:

Lime-scale remover: 5/10
Bathroom cleaner: 8/10
Cream cleaner: 8/10
Non-bio washing powder: 7/10
Washing up liquid: 5/10
Fabric conditioner: 7/10

Thank you to Mumsnet and Ecover!

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 29/01/2012 21:06

We've got the laundry pack to try and I've also used the sample pack of washing up liquid

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I'd never bought any Ecover products as they always seemed to cost much more than supermarket own brands (which is what I usually use). I wasn't prepared to spend the extra on something that would only do an equivalent job. Having tried them I am pleased that they do perform as well as they claim to (as I was a little sceptical)

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
I'm very pleased with the washing liquid and fabric conditioner, haven't had to try the stain remover yet. I usually use biological powder and conditioner and haven't noticed any difference in cleaning performance. I did notice the difference in smell compared to our usual products when I got the first load out of the machine to hang it up. Ecover smells pretty natural and a bit herby (in a nice way) whereas our usual products do produce quite strong, artifical scents. I like the washing up liquid - I get just as many bubbles as my usual (supermarket own) product even though the packing suggested that I wouldn't!

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
The packaging is nice and simple, but wouldn't stand out well on a supermarket shelf imo. The logos aren't particularly important to me as we don't suffer with any sesitive skin problems in this house, but it's nice to know that there's nothing hideous within the product. I like that all ingredients are listed - again not a big deal to us but I can see that it would be handy to some people. I like the sugar cane packaging, I had no idea about that before this product test - I assume that I put in in with our usual recycling?

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
It's not a consideration at all for me as non of us have sensitive skin or allergies.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
Make them more visually appealing/obvious when scanning the products on a supermarket shelf - they have a lot of competition.
Really push the point that they are as effective as their non eco-friendly rivals.
Really look hard at their pricing - I'm sure that many more people would buy these products if they were more competitively priced.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
Possibly, it all depends on the price tbh - if I notice them on special offer then I would buy them again. I would recommend them to friends - Im pleasantly surprised by how good they are.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
My perception is now much more positive. I know now that the products really do the job well and that I wouldn't be accepting an inferior product for the sake of the environment (which is false economy aswell as wasteful as I'd just use twice as much!). The only thing holding me back from swpping to using these products is the price - they're not just a little bit more expensive, the difference is quite substantial.

Wailywailywaily · 29/01/2012 21:28

I'd just like to say again that I love the multi action kitchen spray!

I have now used it all round the house and its still better than any of the other stuff I have in the cupboards.

Very enthusiastic convert

crikeybadger · 29/01/2012 22:03

I tested the Laundry Pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I've used the washing up liquid and the all purpose cleaner sometimes. I suppose I like the idea of using environmentally sensitive products in the home, but can't always justify the cost- hence the limited number of products I've tried previously. Overall impression was very positive- they did the job well.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

The products did do the job really well- probably better than I imagined they would. It was a bit of a fiddle using the stain remover before putting some of the clothes in as I usually just throw it all in the machine. The laundry liquid did really well and whilst it didn't remove any old stains (pretty much expected) it did seem to make my clothes nice and bright. It also got my white sofa covers clean much to my surprise. I adored the smell of both the laundry liquid and the fabric conditioner. I don't normally use fabric conditioner but this one wasn't sickly sweet or too flowery or synthetic smelling. I was really impressed. The scent of both products was not overpowering which was good.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

I thought the packaging was functional and simply done. To be honest, I didn't really have a good read of all the little logos and things, I just wanted to see how much I had to put in the machine so I could attack the washing mountain that was gradually increasing. I can't see anywhere that the plastic is made from renewable sugar cane. It's a good thing no doubt, but I'm not sure it would be an overriding concern for me when choosing between products. Having studied the bottles now, they are a bit 'busy' with all the info of on the back- logos and awards all over the place.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

Whilst no one in my family suffers from skin allergies, I do think it is important to consider what chemicals we are putting near to our skin.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

That's tricky one. I think once people have tried the products, they will see that they can do just a good job as a non eco product, so I suppose getting them to try them is the way forward. Perhaps by offering samples or special offers for products in the range could entice people to buy them.

6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
I would certainly recommend them to friends. I would like to think I would buy the products again but we do get through an awful large quantity of washing liquid so I would have to check the price first. I have no idea how much these products would cost so that would be a factor in whether I would purchase them.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
It's not really changed my perception of the brand as I think Ecover has a strong green identity. I was however surprised at how good the laundry liquid was as I had always thought that an environmentally friendly brand would not be able to get clothes as clean as standard brands.

NotaDisneyMum · 29/01/2012 22:37

I had the Kitchen Pack -
All Purpose Cleaner
Pomegranate Washing Up Liquid
Multi Action Spray

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I'd not used Ecover before, I had been sceptical about their "green" creidentials and thought it was a bit of a gimmick - since reading the Ecover website, however, I'm more convinced! I was impressed with the products - just goes to show that it is possible to create effective cleaning products that are far less damaging to the environment.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

I was pleasantly surprised at how effective the products were - certainly better then the budget and "own brand" equivalents, and although the Washing Up liquid was not quite as good as the "leading brand" it was definitely a compromise worth making for the good of the environment.

The multi-action spray was definitely as good as my usual "supermarket" brand for degreasing; is there any chance Ecover can integrate some tea-tree oil or other natural antibacterial cleaner, to create a sanitiser?

The All Purpose cleaner was also just as good as the one I usually use - although I tend to buy whatever is "on offer" rather than a specific brand.

Unfortunately, the household verdict was that the scent of the all purpose cleaner and multi action spray was too strong and rather unpleasant - but we tend to use unscented products wherever possible, so it may be that we are just a bit over sensitive!

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

It is important the packaging is equally green as the product - can it be composted? I couldn't see that information anywhere?

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

It is reassuring that Ecover products are kind to sensitive skin, but not a specific problem for my household.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I wouldn't try to compete with the rest of the market - sell it as a unique, alternative product.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Yes, if the cost was not prohibitive, I would pay a little more for Ecover branded products - and have discovered a local independent store that offers refills, so plan to buy in that way.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

I definitely have had my perception challenged - I thought a green product would be less effective - but all in all, it is just as good, and now I have read up on the website about it, I realise that it is a very "green" product and not a gimmick!

IShallWearMidnight · 30/01/2012 11:35

Bathroom pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?

I hadn't used Ecover before, always thought of it as being very expensive and probably not tough enough to clean properly without huge amounts of elbow grease.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?

It smelled nice without being too perfume-ey or overly strong. I was surprised how well the sprays worked, and especially liked how the foam stuck to surfaces. But, the bathroom cleaner didn't get the very grubby bits clean in the bath, and I had to use quite a lot of it.
The limescale remover was more efficient for less quantity.
The cream cleaner didn't work as well as my usual Cif, and I needed a couple of goes to get some really burnt-on bits off the hob.

Overall, OK I suppose, but nothing "wow!"

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?

Packaging a but plain, doesn't really shout out that it's a fantastic product. I hadn't noticed what the packaging was made of, as our plastic recycling is very limited here, but I will be investigating how I recycle it. Sensitive skin logos aren't an issue for us (as no-one has sensitive skin) but I think they are a good idea.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?

As above, it's not really an issue, although I am fussy about smells, ad sensitive skin products tends to be less perfume-ey.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?

I'd focus on the efficiency of the product rather than the eco side of things probably. I knew beforehand that they were green products, but assumed they wouldn't be very good.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?

Might do, depending on price. I probably wouldn't get eh cream cleaner, but the limescale remover worked well. Would be interested in trying a loo cleaner, as that's where the biggest comparison would be made in this house.

Not sure I would recommend them to anyone as I don't tend to talk about cleaning products to people! |They did work better than I was expecting though, so if it came up in conversation, I would mention that.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?

Hasn't really changed my perception to be honest, I am more price orientated than product orientated when I buy things, so if the price was the same or similar, then I may buy Ecover rather than Cif/Persil/Fairy.

stmatt · 30/01/2012 11:44

Q1.I have used Ecover products before but stopped using them when I lived away from the UK for a year. I used to like these products but tried the washing up liquid when we returned to the Uk and did not like the smell.

Q2. I tried the kitchen pack. Overall these products worked as well as the Fairy equivalents.

Q3. I'm not sure whether I like the packaging. It is a bit bland and all the bottles looked fairly similar. It would be nice if there was an easier way of differentiating between them rather than having to look carefully at the label.

Q4. I have sensitive skin and cleaning products often make me sneeze. I liked the smell of the products - nice and fresh smelling but not too over-powering which is good for my sensitive nose.

Q5. Make the packaging stand out a little bit more.

Q6. I would buy these products again, and I would recommend them to friends and family if it came up in conversation.

celeriac · 30/01/2012 12:12

I tried the Laundry Pack.

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I had never used an Ecover product before this trial and I was interested to find out they would compare. My perception before trying the products is that they would not be as effective as my normal laundry products.

Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
The products have really surprised me. I was concerned that my washing would not be cleaned properly without my usual biological powder and I also generally use a highly scented fabric conditioner (Lenor) and I honestly did not think that the Ecover would match this. Actually, I have found that the fabric conditioner has made my clothes softer than Lenor and the scent is a very pleasing ?clean? one, which is not overpowering. I think that I actually prefer the Ecover fragrance to my articificial strong scent and I never thought that I would say that!

All my washing has been spotlessly clean and I have not found it inconvenient to use the separate stain remover on occasion. However, the laundry liquid is actually very effective on its own. I find that the liquid dispenser is very easy to use and there is no sticky residue on the outside of the bottle.

After a muddy trip to the allotment where the children cuddled their chickens and helped dig up the veg, I was sceptical that Ecover would get the mud out first time, but it did.

Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
I like the size and feel of the bottles and they are very easy to handle. I do not think that the labels are particularly clear and they would not stand out to me on the supermarket shelves. Now I have tried the products, I will be looking for them in the future. I did not notice on the packs that the plastic was made from sugar cane. I think that this is a fantastic idea. The Sensitive Skin logos were not very clear on the packaging and I had to go back to the bottles to find them after reading this question! To be honest, the name ?amongst the flowers? would actually have put me off, but now I have tried the product I will definitely be buying it in the future.

Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
It is important to me as I suffer from occasional outbreaks of eczema and changing laundry products in the past has caused me problems. I like the idea of not using harsh chemicals, particularly for the children. I have not had any skin issues since using Ecover. I also look forward to trying the washing up liquid, as I often get sore hands when I forget to use washing up gloves.

Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
I thought that Ecover products were for people who cared more about the environment than the effectiveness of the products. Now I have tried the products, I have found out that my perception was entirely incorrect.

I would improve the labels to make the products stand out more and appeal to people who have young children and want to use less chemicals. The labels do not make it clear how effective these products actually are.

Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
I actually had no idea what the price point of these items is and I have never looked for them on supermarket shelves. Having now looked at their prices in my local Tesco, I am very surprised to find that they are much more competitively priced than I thought. In the past, I have only noticed the products in 'health food' type shops at quite high prices.

Now I have tried them I would certainly consider buying them in the future. I would not hesitate to recommend the products to friends/family, especially with young children or if they had allergies.

Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
In the last couple of years we have started growing a lot of our own veg as I was concerned about the amount of chemicals used in the production of supermarket food. Changing laundry brand to Ecover would be a good move that I could make for our family and the fact that we are helping the environment too, would be a plus point. I would not have considered buying Ecover products before as I just did not think that they would measure up, so yes my perception of the brand has changed entirely.

Thank you for choosing me to be a part of this trial

philmassive · 30/01/2012 15:35

Kitchen pack

Q1. What were your thoughts and feelings about Ecover products prior to trying them? Had you used any before? What was your overall impression of the Ecover products you tried?
I was interested in Ecover and had looked at them before but not bought them. I really liked the products I tried.
Q2. Thinking about the pack you tried for MN, what did you think of the overall results of the products? Was it what you expected? Did the product 'do the job'? Do you like the smell or the feel of the product?
All the products I tried did the job. The feel of the products was fine. The smell of the washing up liquid and the all purpose cleaner was ok but the spray (which was my favourite product overall) smelt a bit... cleanerish. The worktop spray was absolutely brilliant and cleaned my halogen hob better than anything I have ever used before.
Q3. What did you think of the product?s packaging? Did you read anything surprising on the packaging? Are the GHI/sensitive skin logos important to you? The plastic is made from renewable sugar cane, was this made clear on the pack? Is this important to you?
I really liked the 'matt' texture of the packaging. It actually felt environmentally friendly. I think the packaging could do with being much more informative re: the fabric they were manufactured from. I think there should definitely be more 'trumpet-blowing' on the good aspects of the packaging and the product.
Q4. How important is it too you that products are kind to sensitive skin and/or allergy sufferers when making a purchase decision? Do you or anyone in your family have sensitive skin and/or allergies? If so, how did you find using the Ecover products?
It is very important to me that it's skin friendly. I have one ds with asthma/eczema and I am manic about using things that will flare this up. SO far, so good with the ecover stuff.
Q5. If you were in charge of Ecover what, if any, improvements would you make? How would you 'sell' them to consumers?
Get your trumpet blown! There is so much good stuff re: ecover and half of it is not marketed well enough - more info on the packaging alone would help, but also some point of sale stuff or leaflets in the supermarkets.
Q6. Do you think you would buy the products in the future? If it came up in conversation, do you think you would recommend them to a friend? Why? If not, why?
I will buy them, and I will recommend them to people. I am a convert!
Q7 And having tried them, what are your overall thoughts and feelings about the products now? Has it changed your perception of the brand? If so, how?
I will buy Ecover products from now on and I'm even going to try the washing powder to see what that's like over a period of time. It hasn't changed my perception of the brand but it has made me think that what I suspected of them was true (ie that the products would be good and robust)

Thanks for the opportunity to try the products.