London, United Kingdom – July 22, 2024 – Unilever announces a new and exclusive partnership between laundry power brands, Dirt Is Good (Persil) and Comfort, and leading consumer technology and domestic appliance company, Samsung UK. The collaboration will combine the chemistry of powerful cleaning and fabric care from Unilever with the technology and cutting-edge AI capabilities of Samsung Bespoke AI washing machines.

An evolution in work and lifestyle habits is causing a seismic shift in how we think about and do laundry.  Consumers are looking for more efficiency and personalised care in their laundry routine to save time, energy and cost, along with extending the life of their clothes.

As a result, Samsung and Unilever will look to combine future learnings and insights for a fully end-to-end view of the new ‘laundry lifestyle’.  The brands will explore how to deliver a fully connected laundry experience combining technology from both sectors and how AI and smart technologies could make laundry more convenient, simpler and tailored to reflect modern-day living and laundry needs.

Innovation, testing and development will be supported by the best of Samsung’s award-winning^[1] washing machines – modelling new appliance technology with the performance of Persil and Comfort to deliver an unrivalled consumer experience.

Eduardo Campanella, Business Group President, Unilever Home Care said: “Up until now, washing machines and laundry products have developed in isolation but this partnership with Samsung will see us co-create the future of laundry with more speed and agility than ever before.  We’ll be able to combine changing consumer laundry behaviours with in-home technology trends creating a smarter approach to laundry that suits today’s busy lifestyles.”

Dan Barfield, Director – Head of Digital Appliances Division, Samsung UK & Ireland, said: “As two leading brands in our respective categories the partnership is a natural fit. Machines, cleaning and fabric care are all part of the same conversation when it comes to laundry. Working with Unilever’s laundry brands, we aim to lead the way in mapping and creating the most advanced and intelligent laundry offering yet.”

Not only are consumers’ requirements of laundry changing with data showing that around 80%* of consumers take advantage of the short wash cycle function now offered by most machines, but so too are the dirt and stains we’re washing along with the clothes we wear. Increasingly our wardrobes are now made from malodour-retaining synthetic fabrics, while daily grease, grime and odour is often invisible. Persil’s latest innovation, Persil Wonder Wash, was specifically developed and launched in response to this insight.

AI Wash in Samsung washing machines can sense the weight of the fabric and the level of soiling, to then adjust the water, detergent, soaking levels and cycle time. AI Energy Mode** enables consumers to reduce energy use by up to 70%^[2] while remote management via the SmartThings app saves time via added convenience.

The collaboration will be brought to life through various marketing channels, including retail, product placement, social media, CRM and exclusive benefits, competitions and offers to customers both in-store and online.  Activity will initially launch in the UK and Ireland where consumers can claim up to six months free Persil detergent^*** when they buy a Samsung 11kg EcoBubble washing machine, running to January 2025. The partnership will then be rolled out across further European markets in the coming months. 

[1] Award wins include: Samsung WW90T684DLH winner of Trusted Reviews ‘Best Washing Machine’ Award (September 2023), Samsung DV906240LN winner of Trusted Reviews ‘Recommended’ Award (April 2023), Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry 11kg SpaceMax Washing Machine winner of Real Homes ‘Laundry’ Award (September 2022). Series 5 WD80TA046BE/EU washing machine has the “GH Institute Approved 2024” badge and names “Quickest Washer Dryer” by Good Housekeeping.

^[2] Based on internal testing on the WW11BB944AGB model on a Cotton 40 degrees wash with the AI Energy mode turned on, compared to not using AI Energy mode.

For the first time, these labels will include a QR code which will provide additional, official (non-commercial) information – drawn from the European Product Database for Energy Labelling – when scanned with a smartphone.

Samsung welcomes the European Union’s drive to accelerate the innovation and production of energy efficient electronic appliances and hold manufacturers accountable to higher standards, while at the same time introducing new labelling requirements that offer consumers across Europe greater transparency, understanding and choice.

At the centre of Samsung’s design philosophy is developing innovative products that are energy efficient and use both recycled and eco-friendly materials to reduce their environmental impact. Samsung’s commitment to constantly improving the sustainability performance of its products starts at the beginning of a product’s lifecycle, through its Eco-design Process.

The Eco-design Process enables Samsung to plan and develop products that have greater energy efficiency, use fewer resources and eliminate hazardous substances. It ensures alignment with all global environmental regulations and requirements, as well as encourages Samsung to take voluntary steps and pursue ideas to create responsibly designed products for its customers.

Rachael Ward, Marketing & Product Director, Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics UK Ltd. says: “At Samsung, we are striving to create world class environment-friendly home appliances, through efforts including development of advanced energy saving technologies and creative new product concepts such as customisable modular refrigerators. The new labelling will guarantee transparency on higher efficiency standards, closer attention to sustainability, and easier understanding of the grading system of household appliances.”

WASHING MACHINES: LAUNDRY IS READY WITH SMART CONTROL+

In the laundry segment, Samsung’s Smart Control+ range of washing machines meets the highest standards of the new energy labels, awarded energy grade A and B. With Artificial Intelligence, the Smart Control+ range customises the washing process, adapting it to the consumer’s preferences, and detecting the weight of the laundry, before dispensing the appropriate amount of water and detergent using Auto Dose. The washing machine can also cleverly link with a compatible dryer via Auto Cycle Link*, so the tumble dryer can automatically select an optimal setting once the wash cycle ends.

The range of Smart Control+ washing machines include: QuickDrive, AddWash, and Auto Dose.

The “eco” features that apply to the whole Smart Control+ range include:

Furthermore, depending on the specific needs of consumers, the various lines also offer a range of the following distinctive features:

• QuickDrive technology uses a super speed cycle to give users a clean load in just 39 minutes on a 5kg load.
• AddWash line has a door in the door, letting users add anything they have forgotten to the wash at any time***, avoiding new cycles.
• Auto Dose function knows just the right amount of detergent for any load.

REFRIGERATORS: EXCELLENT ENERGY PERFORMANCE FOR FOOD CONSERVATION

The modular design of Samsung’s BESPOKE refrigerators – coming to the UK later this year- offers customers the flexibility to tailor their fridge by adding additional units or replacing the door panels according to their individual lifestyle and design needs. The BESPOKE has a series of different platforms (Tall 1-Door Fridge/Freezer, BMF) that allows users to minimise spatial waste when installing their customised fridge configurations. Aside from its modular design, the BESPOKE line-up also includes features that help minimise both energy and food waste.

The features that make this level of energy conservation possible include:

• SpaceMax Technology makes the walls slimmer, so the same size fridge on the outside has larger capacity inside.
• Digital Inverter Compressor monitors and adjusts temperature to keep it constantly perfect, making fridges more efficient.
• Twin Cooling controls the refrigerator and freezer independently with two separate evaporators and precise electronic control. This helps to maintain desired temperatures in both the fridge and freezer, which preserves food in the best conditions to minimise food waste.
• Metal Cooling keeps food fresh, even if users frequently open and close the fridge door. The metal plate in the rear wall helps maintain the optimal internal temperature by retaining the cold and preventing the loss of cool air whenever the door is open.

In addition to innovative, environmentally-friendly technologies, BESPOKE refrigerators are also equipped with features that improve the utilisation of interior storage compartments:

• CoolSelect Zone allows users to switch freezer compartments at the bottom of the fridge, with three variations of precise temperature control.
• Optimal Fresh+ box is a multi-purpose compartment that can be split into two zones with different temperatures, making it ideal for storing items that require different temperatures but need to be kept separately, such as meats and vegetables.
• Rack & Shelf is a multi-purpose wine rack, which is not only an elegant way to store your favourite bottles, but makes more space on your shelves for the food to enjoy with it.

The new regulations are for European consumers and will also apply in non-EU countries.

For more information about Samsung’s product portfolio and new energy efficiency ratings please visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/home-appliances/learn/energy-efficiency-rating-label-changes/

“QuickDrive is the industry’s game changer, dramatically cutting the amount of time it takes for users to do laundry and giving them more time to enjoy life,” said B.S. Suh, Executive Vice President of the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “The new WW8800M washing machine uses QuickDrive technology to provide fast and powerful washing performance, with a range of technologies and smart functionality that make doing laundry so much easier.”

Improved washing performance with Samsung’s unique technology

Samsung’s QuickDrive technology cuts washing time by 50% and energy use by 20%¹ without compromising the cleaning performance. Its unique drum consists of a large main drum and a plate in the back that rotates independently. Unlike conventional washers that move clothes repeatedly up and down over the course of the cycle, the WW8800M moves clothes from top to bottom in the drum, and the plate in the back of the drum introduces a back and forth movement. It creates a revolutionary dynamic action that quickly, gently and thoroughly remove dirt to deliver an intense and complete wash cycle.

In addition, Samsung’s unrivalled QuickDrive technology was independently tested by Intertek, the world’s largest testing and inspection organization. Intertek confirmed that QuickDrive technology provides the same level of cleaning performance and fabric care as existing products, while reducing washing times.

The new WW8800M also has many of Samsung’s outstanding laundry technologies, like ecobubble^TM, which provides powerful washing performance by mixing air and water to generate fine detergent bubbles that penetrate fabrics faster and maximize the detergent’s effects even at low temperatures.

Smarter, IoT-enabled washing machine for user convenience

Throughout the washing cycle, QuickDrive^TM offers a range of smart and convenient features. The IoT-ready WW8800M boasts an AI-powered laundry assistant, which provides three key smart features that help manage laundry more conveniently:

• Enables consumers to manage a laundry finishing time, freeing consumers to control their schedule on their own terms.
• Automatically recommendations for optimal wash cycles based on the information such as colour, fabric type, and degree of soiling inputted by the user, eliminating the need for guessing about which cycle is best.
• Monitors the washer, proactively alerting users about potential problems and providing quick troubleshooting support.

The WW8800M also comes with Samsung’s innovative AddWash^TM, a feature that gives users the ability to add items at any time during the cycle². From a forgotten sock to a delicate item³ that needs to go in later in the cycle, AddWash even allows users to add detergent or fabric softener at a later time. The combination of these smart features and AddWash creates a synergistic effect that further enhances the user convenience, simplifying the laundry process.

Designed for higher durability and cost-efficiency

Finally, the WW8800M is designed for long-lasting performance. Equipped with Samsung’s Digital Inverter Technology, the WW8800M reduces noise and helps reduce energy consumption while providing exceptional durability⁴, enabling the washer to maintain its outstanding washing performance and fabric care. It also uses an Anti-Scale Heater a new type of anti-adhesion coating, which ensures up to 55 percent less scale buildup than conventional ceramic heaters⁵, helping the heater maintain its performance longer with more durability.

Samsung Electronics’ booth will be open at Level 2, City Cube Berlin from September 1 through 6 for IFA 2017.

UK availability and launch

The WW8800M will be available from Late October, from Samsung.com and select retailers including AO.com, Currys PC World / Dixons and John Lewis. UK RRP: £1629.99

Hi-res downloadable imagery can be found here.

1 Tested on WW8800M compared with Samsung WW8500K. Saves 50% time on Cotton (40℃, half load) and eCotton cycle with washing performance within ±2%. Saves 20% energy on Cotton (40℃, half load) and Super Speed cycle (40℃, 5kg load), based on Intertek data.

2 The AddWash^TM door only opens only when the drum temperature is below 50°C.

3 Only fabric items, clothing, detergent and softener can be added.

4 Awarded a 20-year durability certification by the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies in Germany (Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker – VDE).

5 Tested on Anti-Scale Heater compared with Samsung’s original conventional heater of WF60F4E0N0W/ET, based on independent testing of weight variation in hard water.