Just a couple of weeks ago one of my Canadian readers sent me a note to let me know that they had gone searching for Persil only to find that it wasn’t available in Canada. For some reason I was sure that the detergent would have launched at the same time in both the US and Canada, but apparently that wasn’t the case.
Persil Canada Launch
But a couple of days ago the Henkel Persil Canada team reached out to me to let me know that Persil is now finally coming to Canada! It looks like our northern neighbors will be able to choose from the Persil ProClean Power Pearls, Original, Intense Fresh and 2in1 liquids as well as an exclusive to Canada Persil Coldwater liquid formula. It looks like the Persil Power Caps are not currently being offered in Canada, and neither is the Sensitive version or the Pearls in Intense Fresh scent.
Loblaws ad for Persil Canada (week of March 10, 2016) with the full Canadian Persil detergent lineup
I’m currently checking with the Persil Canada team to see if there is a Canadian website or a list of retailers that I could link to, but I have found Persil ads in the Loblaws flyer, so it looks like they aren’t doing the Walmart exclusive rollout that they launched with in the US.
Update: Canadian Persil ProClean is currently available at Fortinos, Loblaws, Longos and Costco. It should become available at Walmart by mid-March and at many other grocery and drug stores in April. Here’s the link to the Persil Canada website: http://www.persilproclean.com/ca/en.html.
First Look: Persil Canada Coldwater Detergent
I was lucky enough to get a bottle of the Canadian Persil Coldwater detergent to try out, and will be posting a review once I’ve had a chance to use it on some loads. I will admit, I do not typically wash in cold water, but since this detergents instructs you to do so I’ll give it a shot and put it to the test just like I did the Persil ProClean 2in1.
In the meantime, here are some photos of the front and back label. I’m looking forward to finding the full ingredients list to see how it compares to the Persil ProClean 2in1, and I’ll update with that information as soon as I have it.
As you can see, it mentions “Pro-Eco Technology”, which immediately made me think of the upcoming Tide PurClean launch. This exclusive Canadian Coldwater version of Persil ProClean isn’t positioned as the “green” option, but it’s still interesting to see the mention of eco. I’m assuming that’s because cold water washing can be considered more eco friendly than washing in hot water.
The scent is slightly more floral than the 2in1, but not as “fruity” as some other detergents. We’ll see how it performs in the wash, I’m super excited to try the Canadian Coldwater Persil out!
Why Is This Exciting?
Last year, shortly after launching in the US, the Persil ProClean 2in1 formula took first place in Consumer Reports’ laundry detergent rankings. Yep, it beat the eternal favorite – Tide! I tested out the Persil 2in1 liquid in this blog post and found that it does a very good job of removing stains.
There are typically a lot of questions regarding the German Persil formula and how it compares to the American ProClean line. To clarify, Persil comes in many different formulas – Persil in Poland will differ from Persil in Germany and those will both differ from the ProClean line in the US. These localized versions are meant to adapt to different laundry habits across the globe. What is similar between the ProClean line and the German “original” is the fact that they are top of the line, heavy duty detergents. The scent is also similar!
Overall, I’m always excited when a new player comes along. Tide along with other P&G brands such as Gain currently control 60% of the laundry detergent market share in the US, and that is quite the monopoly (imagine all the other detergent brands that exist… All of those combined sell less than P&G’s handful of offerings!). Having some real competition is always a good thing for the consumer.
I’d love to hear from any Canadian readers what they think – will you be trying Persil? Are you interested in the Coldwater formula? Have you ever tried the imported German version? Let me know in the comments.
Very excited about this, I’ve now just found the ProClean Original liquid at Costco for $20.99 for 110loads
Thanks for the update Kristina! I had checked on costco.ca, but it’s not showing in the search results there. It must have just hit the stores.
The bottle is a poor design. It leaves at least half a load of liquid in it that does not pour out.
You can actually remove the spout to get that last bit of detergent out – I know they are in the process of redesigning the bottle to get rid of this issue!
Here’s a link to a video of how this is done: https://youtu.be/1zMVcExcUFo
Hi Olga! I live in Ontario, Canada (2017) and the top has been changed on the Persil container .At least however it has here where I live. So there are no issues with the cap. I have always been anal about clean clothes and especially my white clothes. I purchased a bottle of Persil at Walmart for 3.97 and I must admit, it is the best detergent I have ever used in my life. My whites came out looking like new without adding any bleach or Oxy Clean. I will never ever go back to using Tide or for that matter any other detergents again. I love that there are no suds which means you don’t get the residue on your clothing. They do carry it now , at least where I live in no-frills, Fortino’s, Loblaw’s, Walmart, so B’s and the IGA ! Depending or not if your water is soft or hard you may not have to add as much Persil if your water is soft or if you have a front loader! Once again, PERSIL in tests beat all other detergents! I know that if my mother was alive today that she would be so thrilled to find such an amazing and effective detergent. It even says that it is safe if you have a septic tank ! One can also go on line to look for coupons! But Persil is a steal at 4.97 per bottle! In closing, I have tried the cold water formulation and it is just as efficacious. All the very best Olga! Just subscribed to your blog! It is great to be able to share information! Also, there is a book called “Laundry” which my fiancé purchased for me! So when I say that I am a little OCD about the Cleanliness of my clothes It’s no joke. And I will throw something out if it is not as white as snow. I get this from my mother because she always used to soak her whites in Javex bleach the night before her wash day. And often she would have to wash her clothes out three times before she was satisfied. She used to use tide God bless her until she left To go to heaven. With Persil, I do not have to add anything, So in essence I am saving money because I don’t have to use bleach nor the Oxyclean the way I used to have to with Tide, Sunlight or Purell..Have a wonderful day! Susan
Is that US or Canadian dollars?
Bev that’s Canadian dollars.
Thanks Kristina, I will look out for it. My daughter is keen to use it also.
I have been using the powder for over a year now, so pleased I found it in Calgary, Alberta. It costs me $54.95 for a 65 load box. The liquid sounds much cheaper.
Received my care package today, thank you!! 😀 Wondering which two Persil types I should try?
I’ve been using the German Universal Megaperls on my cloth diaper laundry – which I love and has been working well. But it’s $$ so I typically only use it for those loads, or to use as a pretreatment on tough stains (tip: I left it on a spot on a baby onesie for two days and it bleached the colour out of it – it was a light grey and white stripe garment – oops!!). I was thinking the Original ProClean and maybe th PowerPearls or the 2n1?
Decisions…
Hey Kristina,
I’m glad it reached you so fast! 🙂
So I personally would choose between the 2in1, Coldwater and Pearls.
The Pearls will be similar to the German version in terms of scent, but the cleaning power for me personally was a little less than the Megaperls. I’d be interested to see how they compare for you. Note here (as you probably very well know) is that you need hot water to activate the oxygen bleach properly and get optimal results, and the Pearls are best for whites since they will fade colors over time.
The 2in1 is really a very powerful liquid, in my opinion it works better than the Original for stain removal. Both the Original and 2in1 leave quite a bit of scent behind – some people don’t appreciate that. I personally prefer the scent of the 2in1 to the Original, but that’s all pretty subjective – make sure you smell all the options before you buy!
I’ve only started testing out the Coldwater version, but the scent is probably my favorite of the bunch and it doesn’t seem to linger as much as the others. I’ve only used it on some sheets and towels so far, and unlike the Original and 2in1 there is almost no leftover scent (I ran an extra rinse cycle on the towels because I thought there were some suds left over – still figuring out the proper dosage – but after that the towels had no residual scent left at all). I’m sure this might vary from washer to washer and depend on the local water chemistry, but if you’re sensitive to scents that might be a good option. I haven’t tested it in cold water though, so can’t really speak of how well it does with stains when used according to their instructions.
Ok so I’m coming back with my thoughts on the detergent.
I had initially purchased the European Persil Megaperls to use for cloth diaper laundry – I needed hard core cleaning power for them. I was happy with the Universal Megaperls, they were cleaning everything throughly and I wasn’t having stink issues.
When Persil came out in Canada I grabbed the Original liquid, the 2n1 liquid and the Megaperls powder. The 2n1 works amazingly on stains but the price and the scent meant it wasn’t a good choice for diapers (laundering with two cycles, every other day). I keep it as a pre treater only, and use once in a while for really really dirty loads.
I wanted the Original liquid to work since the Costco size was great value (on sale for $15.99/110loads!). However after using it for a couple of months I’ve concluded that it’s just not strong enough for cloth diapers, even when I use more. I was getting “barnyard stink” and I’m assuming I’d end up with ammonia build up eventually.
So I’ve gone back to using the Megaperls and they are working perfectly. I did the math and even at full retail price, the Canadian Persil Megaperls is still better value than buying the larger (2.6kg) box of the European Megaperls from a Canadian importer. I can’t be sure they are identical, but the formulations seem really similar and are giving me the same performance.
Hope this helps someone doing some research!
Thanks so much for the fantastic detailed review, Kristina! Cloth diapering seems like a whole universe of possible laundry issues, and I’m thrilled that you are having good results with the Perls. I’m sure others will find this very helpful as well!
Where can I purchase the European Megaperls Persil in Victoria , BC? Your review has made me want to try this product Thanks
This is the best news so far this year ! I used Persil back in Europe (we lived there for many years) and none of the detergents I have tried here could compare to it. I have been using Persil since it became available at Wal-Mart in the States. My husband travels regularly to the States and he brings me both the 2 in 1 liquid detergent and the pearls. I am so pleased with both that not even the exchange rate has discouraged me ! I have not tried the Coldwater one so far because I do not wash with cold water, but I might give it a try now that it is available here. The pearls are amazing, they leave the white clothes even whiter ! And the 2 in 1 cleans very well and leaves the colours very vivid and bright. Another thing I like about Persil is the scent. It is a combination between fresh and flowery, and you can smell it in your clothes but in a subtle way, just enough to give you that nice freshly-washed sensation.
Thank you Laura, I’m so glad you’re having good results with Persil ProClean! And I’m sure your husband will be thrilled to not have to be a “laundry mule” anymore, haha. I’d love to hear what you think of the Coldwater version if you do give it a try – I’m still in the process of testing it and am very curious to see what other people think.
I saw Persil for sale today in the real canadian superstore and was thrilled. I haven’t compared the product label with the one I regularly buy imported from Europe but I’m hoping they are similar. It’s significantly cheaper than I’m used to paying so fingers crossed!!
Hi Claire, the ProClean formula is different from the European version, but I’m very curious what you’ll think of how they compare!
I bought Persil today after seeing it in the grocery store (Zehrs, owned by Loblaws). I LOVE IT. We are a family of five including 8 year old triplet boys. You can imagine all the laundry I do. I had been using Tide which was OK, sometimes it left white stuff on things that didn’t go in the dryer. The Persil works very well. And I love the smell. It stays on the clothes so I don’t have to use scent boosters. I will definitely be buying it again
Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for the comment – I’m so happy you’re enjoying Persil! Do you use the liquid or the Pearls? Your mention of white residue makes me think of powder that didn’t get fully washed out.
Also, triplets at that age – how do you do it??
I’m using liquid in both cases. I have a Whirlpool H2low washer. But I find it better using the bulky items cycle (full fill) is better when I’m washing darks that don’t go in the dryer. I’m not sure I’m I big fan of the lower water systems
I bought an AEG washer 18 months ago as it is the only one over here that does a boil wash and I was so fed up with grey whites since I moved to Canada! AEG stipulate that I must use Persil so if this liquid is now available here it should work out a lot cheaper but does it compare favourably with the powder I wonder.
This was great news for me. My Mom used Persil in England when I was a child and she always had lovely clean laundry and super whites. When we came to Canada in 1972 I was looking for Persil, been waiting since then for it to get here. Now I have a Bosch washer and dryer U am thrilled to see Persil at the stores and Costco had it on sale yesterday, Love the 2 in 1 and the Original. Bought the Pearls but haven’t tried them yet. I do wonder how the liquid compares to the more expensive powder.
Thanks for the review, Joan! I’m so happy you are loving Persil. I think it’s great to have some new options in the laundry aisle. 🙂
Let me know what you think of the Pearls. I tend to use the 2in1 liquid most of the time, but then again I have a large stockpile of German Persil Megaperls that I need to get through too…
My family, in England always used Persil for laundry. I have lived in Canada since 1969 and last year I found a little store who sold Persil. Because it was an import it was quite expensive but worth the price, only problem is I have to drive a long way to buy it. The first time I bought it, last year I was delighted, same smell (mild) the way it cleans etc.
In the last 10 years I cannot use my former favourite, Tide (I developed a severe skin problem, itching, hives etc)I also have problems with Gain. Fingers crossed, so far Persil is great,
Apart from this I believe it does a rest job cleaning clothes and towels, sheets etc.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Persil ProClean, Sue! So glad you’re getting good results, and that it’s gentle on your skin. We’re pretty lucky in my household in that nobody has any sensitivities, so I get to play around with all types of different laundry products!
My only exposure to Persil is its use in the spy slang of John le Carré’s Smiley series. Persil is “The cleanest security category available, used of questionable foreigners, ‘Clean as fabric washed in Persil’.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_Tailor_Soldier_Spy
The last time I went to Costco they didn’t have Persil, I was so disappointed I didn’t buy it when I saw it (I had over a half box of powder still to use). Same old thing with Costco if you don’t buy it when you see it, you have missed it!
Persil, the made in Germany box of powder detergent is for sale at Euro Foods, 405 Highland Rd.West Kitchener,
at Italo Foods, 24-1601 River Rd Kitchener, and at Reliable Parts, 935 Frederick st , Kitchener.
I can’t remember the prices at all the stores, but Reliable parts sells the 4.22 kg box, 65 washes of Persil Universal for $49.46
I’m off to check prices. all this info is found on the internet.
The reviews for Universal and Megapearls editions of Persil are very good.
the Proclean which I believe, is a product of P&G Canada doesn’t get great reviews. You get what you pay for.
Pro lean is a Henkel product, not P&G
I bought Persil in the winter of 2015 when we were in Florida for the winter months. I have been using it ever since! I had bought two big containers to take home with us. As we are located close to a Canadian/U.S. border, I would cross over to the U.S. and buy another supply when I ran out. Not long after arriving home to Canada, I found it at the local Costco on sale for $15.00 for the big container. This is the BEST laundry detergent I have EVER used. It gets whites, white, colours are more vibrant and all in all, it makes quick work of stains. ALL stains!! I’m about to start using the versions I bought at Costco which are the Canadian product versus the ones I had brought in the U.S.. I’m hoping the composition of the product ingredients are the same as the U.S. version (Canada has environmental regulations when it comes to product ingredients). Will let you know. In the meantime, try Persil, you won’t be sorry you did!
I used the Persil for sensitive skin for many years. Are they going to be reintroducing this formula in Canada, or are they already selling it? Where can I buy it? Thank you very much.
Hi Mariyam, you can check out the Persil Canada website to see what they currently offer: http://www.persilproclean.com/ca/en.html
Responding to Susan from Ontario – the comments wouldn’t let me leave a reply in that thread.
Thanks for the great review and wonderful message Susan! I’m glad that you are loving Persil and that you happened to come across my blog – I love it when fellow laundry lovers leave a note. 🙂
Hi Olga! Thank you for your message! That’s odd that you could not leave a comment in my thread ?? Please feel free to emai, me as you have my email address. In fact, I purchased 2 more bottles of Persil, the original and the one for cold water washing. Persil was in stock everywhere like Fortino’s Supermarket, Sobeys,No Frills and WalMart. However, I noticed at the Walmart store where I live , the store seemed to have cut back on it and all I could see was Tide. The price of Persil is 4.95-5.95 per bottle. However, I could not help but notice that tide was on sale at most of the supermarkets I went to on March 21. My feelings are that Tide has a really good competitor now, one that I believe cleans much better then Tide. I would not be surprised if the makers of Tide are making deals and offering incentives with the supermarkets. I will keep my eyes open and I will let you know if I do see any changes. However, to me it appears that Persil is in all stores here where I live. However, I could not help but notice that Persil was fully stocked 3 weeks ago at Walmart Since then they have moved it where it can’t be seen like before and that Tide is everywhere. In fact, I think that tide changed the colours of their bottles i.e. a very bright orange and a very bright yellow to stick out amongst the other detergents especially Persil. I would be upset if it was not available in Canada anymore. However, I will call Unilever to see what they have to say and let you know. All the very best Olga. Please send me anything via my email address that you have on file. What are your thoughts? I live approximately 40 minutes from Toronto. Thanks so much Olga!!
Dear Olga!
I did forget to tell you that I saw the Persil laundry pics in all the stores except Walmart! Interesting isn’t it!
Thank you Olga.
Susan/Ontario
Hello again Olga!
Sorry, I meant Persil laundry paks . However, I was not notified that you had made a comment on your blog? I checked my settings and everything looks to be fine.
Thank you Olga! Love your blog!
Sincerely, Susan
Hi Susan, the way comment notifications work is that you receive an email when someone responds to the comment you left directly, not all comments to the post. However, in the initial thread that you had replied to the number of comments left in response had reached its limit. Not sure why the platform does that, and it’s probably a setting I can change on the back end… You should receive this response though!
That’s interesting about Walmart! In the US, Persil had launched as a Walmart exclusive, but then became available almost everywhere – from drugstores like CVS to major supermarket chains. And once that happened Walmart also made in-store displays much smaller, and there were some concerns that they would drop Persil completely. But after the initial turmoil all turned out to be well, so hopefully you won’t experience any Persil shortages in Canada!
I live in Canada and have tried both the PERSIL proclean liquid in original and the power pearls for whites. Unfortunately, the liquid is so strongly prefumed that it left my family choking on the fumes for nearly two days. My two year old daughter wouldn’t even sleep with her favorite “blankie” for two days because it was “stinky” (in her words) until i could rewash it, and even then it took three rewashes in TIDE Free and Clear before she’d cuddle it again. Even still, the PERSIL fumes are faintly lingering. Now it must be said too, that it is in fact an incredible detergent for its cleaning ability but the scent… I’ve never encountered anything so strong in my laundry room ever. I am deeply upset to find that the sensetive skin formula is not currently being offered in Canada and would greatly appreciate any contact information for PERSIL Canada in order to request this be made available. Sadly, I will continue to use TIDE brand Free and Clear until PROSIL smartens up and offers the sensitive version to Canadians.
Just a thought… a front loading machine uses so little water that a lot of the detergent is left in the laundry, leaving very heavy scent, much more that the top loaders. That being said, I have not used the Proclean detergent.
I have seen the Sensitive version for sale at the previously mentioned stores in Kitchener, Euro Foods and Italo Foods.
Using the Henkel product form Germany and using s spin dryer to remove excess water after washing, I have found the remaining water still has alot of detergent in it as well as the scent. Currently I use a top loading machine and about 1 oz of detergent. It is enough to clean the laundry well and not leave the clothes stinking of scent.
Persil by Hene, Germany is a fabulous product and a little goes a long way !
Hello Rosemary
, My name is Susan and I just read your post on how you find Persil is too scented. I also read that you add a full ounce. I know it’s not my place to say but I feel thats way too much. I add 3/4 of a tablespoon of Persil for small loads and 1 and a half tablespoons of Persil for a large.load. The product is concentrated and a little goes a long way. This is only a suggestion but perhaps you may want to try using a little less and see if that helps. I actually don’t find that the scent is over powering. In fact, I find Persils’s scent rather fresh and clean.
I realize that we are all different and that our noses are all unique in terms of the scents that we tend to gravitate more toward If your water is soft then perhaps you are adding way too much and therefore the rinse cycle would do little to get it all out. I find that Tide is so watered down. And since my water is hard, I go through a bottle of Tide like water.Using Persil has saved me a ,out of money as well because it lasts so long. And it can’t even come close to whitening my clothes like Persil. My opinion only Rosemary. In every wash test that has been done comparing Tide to Persil, Persil came out the winner each time.
I would be interested to know if you had great efficacy using less Persil!
Kind regards,
Susan/Ontario
Many thanks!
Susan
Thanks for your reply Susan. I’ll use your suggestion this morning when I launder towels.
Kind regards,
Rosemary
Hello Susan:
Following your suggestion to use 1 tablespoon of Persil , my laundered towels came out clean, fresh and the colour bright and clear, as in no bleeding of colour.
In the past, I have mixed powdered Tide with a box of Borax and a box of washing soda, using a tablespoon of this mixture to launder with great success.
I’ll try this with the next bag of Persil powder to see if the cleaning effect is the same and to make the laundry detergent very cost effective.
Thanks again , Susan for your comments which are much appreciated.
Rosemary
PS. On occasion I roll out the old Maytag wringer washer to do sheets and towels which is entertaining, but my childhood memories of Monday laundry days include the old fashioned high sudsing soaps. The ‘swish-swish’ sound of the old Maytag makes me smile and of course, one needs a sunny day to hang the laundry on the line for full experience, fresh outdoor smell included.
Washing laundry – a must. Drying – understandable. But putting it all away is simply taking things a bit too far.
Hello Rosemary!
Ahh, first of all, please let me tell you that I too have fond memories of that big tub swishing the clothes that my Mother was washing. ! I used to love to wash clothes as a young child with my mother! Gosh, one could truly clean a lot of clothes in those “good ole days”. You will think that I am odd, but even as a child, I truly enjoyed seeing all the dirt that came out of our clothes. My mother too loved washing our clothes and Rosemary, she was adamant that her whites were Snow White! She would soak them the night before and the next day, with the old Maytag, she would separate the clothes and start washing!
Yes, nothing like hanging your clothes outside on a beautiful day outside to dry in the sun.
Rosemary, I am so happy to hear that your cloths came out so well with using a tablespoon of Persil! You must have soft water where you live, but I honestly find Persil to be concentrated where a little goes a long way. I have never had a bottle last me so long like Persil. I just know that you take pride in the quality and colour of your washed cloths! And I also know that your whites are as white as snow. I will be truthful with you. When I used Tide, I always washed my whites twice. If they still did not meet up to my expectations, they would go in again and again. And they usually had to even though I would add Borax, Oxyiclean, bleach. However, after using Persil on its own for the first time, for the first time, I was shocked honestly because my whites were so much whiter even after just one wash with Persil. I was pleasantly surprised. And then I realized that I did not need to add as much Persil, so I kept cutting back on it and my clothes were as white as I had ever seen them. I will tell you though that because I do have hard water, I do add one tablespoon of oxiclean with the Persil only when I wash my whites. Rosemary, my whites came out so white that people thought I had a new top, or new white sweater. My socks and white towels land even facecloths looked brand new again. . If you want to experience with your whites, I would say, why not. However, I truly believe that you have soft water so you may not need as much Persil and/or Oxiclean.
It was just wonderful hearing back from you Rosemary and if you wouldn’t mind sharing your experiences with me, I would be so ever grateful!
Happy Washing Rosemary! I’ll be thinking of you when you are washing with your big Maytag! Brings back such wonderful memories Rosemary!
So here is to Sunny Days and never having to put the clean laundry back after it is washed and dried
Kindest regards,
Susan
After several months I am still using only Persil. I narrowed my choices to only two products: ProClean Power-Pearls Original Scent and ProClean Power-Liquid Sensitive Skin. I use the Pearls for all loads. If there is stained laundry, I use the Liquid.
The Pearls and Liquid deliver a very clean and fresh smelling finish that does not linger. I use about half the recommend amount. I wash most loads in cold water.
I lived in England for several years and regularly used Persil products, both for laundry and washing up the dishes. Always satisfied with the results. I’ve recently returned to Canada and I’m happy to see that this brand is available here…I trust the product and I’m pleased not to have to start over with another brand.