As UK Families Embrace Smart Living, New Research Shows They're Seeking Ways to Cope with the Demands of Connected Homes

One in four UK homes expected to own a smart washing machine by 2030, and 70% of smart device owners already feeling overwhelmed managing their tech

Persil and Comfort launch Smart Series® - the first laundry regime optimised for auto dose washing machines

LONDON, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from Persil and Comfort reveals that while the UK is embracing smart home technology at speed, many households are feeling the pressure of managing it all - including busy parents navigating work, family and an expanding stack of connected devices - especially when they don't have the right products to work alongside the smart appliances.

Smart appliances continue to grow in popularity, with 31% of Brits planning to buy a smart device in the next year and 46% saying smart tech improves their quality of life. But the study also shows that the convenience of connected living comes with new demands with 70% of smart device owners also admitting that they have sometimes felt 'overwhelmed' by having to use and manage smart tech. 

As a result, managing multiple connected devices without access to the right tools is adding new layers of responsibility and demanding greater time and attention - from updates and settings, to finding the right products that work with smart appliances, which, if not embraced, could result in those tech devices becoming redundant.

Key Findings

• 70% of smart device owners say they've felt overwhelmed managing their tech
• 36% spend over an hour a day maintaining devices – equating to almost 8 hours a week that could be spent elsewhere
• 74% of parents feel overwhelmed by smart tech and four in ten (42%) parents say that technology can get in the way of time with friends and family
• Even Gen Z - keen adopters of smart tech - report struggles, with 74% feeling overwhelmed

Persil and Comfort are calling this group the 'Tech Sandwich Generation': Millennial and Gen X parents squeezed between work, caregiving and the added mental load of managing smart homes.

Smart homes need smarter products

With smart washing machines on the rise - one in four UK homes are expected to own an auto dose machine by 2030^[1] - consumers are looking for products that work seamlessly with their appliances to help reduce 'tech overwhelm' and ensure they are making life easier rather than harder. Until now, no big brand laundry products have been designed specifically for auto dose machine technology, leading to issues like poor cleaning, fading fragrance in the machine and residue build–up.

That's why Persil and Comfort are launching Smart Series®, its first detergent and conditioner engineered specifically for auto dose washing machines, in collaboration with Samsung.

Developed using state-of-the-art robotics and AI accelerated digital testing, Smart Series® works in total sync with the machine to deliver precise, reliable dosing. Powered by PRO-CISION Technology® it delivers advanced stain removal, fragrance that doesn't fade in the machine and anti-clogging formulations that flow easily through auto dose reservoir systems to help maintain machine health.  This solves key consumer pain points and enables the tech they've invested in to perform at its best, delivering the convenience it was designed to provide.

Tati Lindenberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Unilever Home Care, said: "Smart home tech is reshaping daily life, but many consumers feel overwhelmed by managing it all. The Tech Sandwich Generation wants solutions that simplify, not complicate. Smart Series® is designed to work in harmony with auto dose machines, delivering top results every time and taking one more decision off busy households' plates."

Persil and Comfort are addressing this insight through a new campaign, initially unveiling a fictional humanoid robot called D.O.S.E ('Detergent Optimisation & Smart Estimation') capable of calculating and dispensing the perfect amount of detergent as Unilever's latest home care breakthrough - before revealing it as a creative tease designed to show that consumers don't necessarily need a robot or another device, they need smarter household products that work seamlessly with the smart technology they already have.

Notes to Editors: 

1. The breakthrough Smart Series® offers consumers a complete smart auto dose washing regime from two of Unilever's most trusted brands. The system includes Persil Smart Series® Advanced Clean Non-Bio and Comfort Smart Series® Azure Bliss and are recommended by Samsung and suitable for use in all auto dose washing machines.
2. Smart Series® will test-launch from 19 March 2026 and can be purchased at smartseries.com.

Research Methodology

Based on a Kantar survey for Unilever Home Care; 1,279 nationally representative respondents in the UK aged 16+ were surveyed online between 19th Feb 2026 and 23rd Feb 2026.

About Unilever:
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Foods products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.7 billion people every day. We have 96,000 employees and generated sales of €50.5 billion in 2025.

For more information about Unilever and our brands, please visit www.unilever.com.

[1] Euromonitor Unilever Auto Dose Washing Machine Universe Report, August 2022

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