Home and Garden Pesticides Demand to Reach $2.3 Billion in 2016

US demand for home and garden pesticides is projected to increase 3.2 percent per year to $2.3 billion in 2016.  Healthy growth in household applications will be promoted by consumers’ increased awareness of pest-borne diseases such as the West Nile virus, and by continued problems with aggressive insects such as bed bugs and red imported fire ants.  However, gains will be hindered by the overall maturity of the market, as the majority of households in the US already use at least one pesticide product and many are wary of potential health hazards associated with pesticides.  These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in Home & Garden Pesticides, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.  

In lawn and garden applications, gains represent a rebound from the 2006-2011 period, which was characterized by sluggish growth as consumers were impacted by the recession.  Growth will be promoted by increased spending on lawn and garden maintenance as a way to increase home values, in addition to continued interest in do-it-yourself yard activities, especially in lawn care and edible gardening.  However, rapid growth in lawn and garden pesticide demand will be restrained by the fact that many consumers turned to do-it-yourself lawn care as a way of saving money during the recession, and economic recovery going forward will allow many of these households to re-engage with professional lawn care services.

While active ingredients like 2,4-D, glyphosate, malathion, carbaryl, and DEET remain some of the most commonly used products in home and garden pesticides, the market has been undergoing a shift in product mix that can be seen in two different trends.  First, a growing level of environmental awareness has led to increased availability of less toxic and/or naturally derived pesticides.  This shift is most noticeable in insecticides and rodenticides.  In insecticides, the use of pyrethroids and neonicotinoids has been increasing, although neonicotinoids are facing heightened scrutiny due to their possible contribution to colony collapse disorder in honeybees.  The other major shift has been the increased presence of ready-to-apply formulations.  Most of these products have very low levels of active ingredients, and derive most of their value from the traits that make them especially convenient, such as special formulations and packaging. 

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.