The metric that matters: €/wash
A detergent priced at €3/L that needs 40 ml per cycle costs €0.12 per wash. One priced at €5/L that only requires 20 ml costs €0.10 per wash. The more expensive concentrate comes in 17% cheaper per cycle.
Industry benchmarks
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Chemical spend as a share of revenue | 8–15% (optimal <12%) |
| Chemical cost per 11 kg wash | €0.30–0.60 |
| Chemical cost per 18 kg wash | €0.50–0.90 |
| Typical improvement margin with an audit | 15–30% |
Optimisation levers
- Measure real cost per cycle (not price per litre)
- Calibrate the dosing system
- Migrate to professional concentrates
- Adjust dose to water hardness
- Avoid domestic products (invisible overdosing)
- Negotiate terms based on annual volume
Want to work out your real cost per wash?
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