National survey asks Canadians to weigh in on intent to wear masks, wash hands and social distance

Dial^®/MD Canada — a trusted leader in the hand soap and other personal-care category — is releasing the results of its third national survey focusing on how COVID-19 has impacted Canadians’ handwashing and hygiene practices. Survey insights support the Dial launch of its Dial^®/MD Clean + Gentle^TM/MC foaming handwash formula this year in Canada. Ideal for all skin types, Dial’s new Clean + Gentle foaming hand wash is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, non-irritating and gentle on skin.

“The survey certainly speaks to an increase in the importance of handwashing among Canadians,” says Rita Bajzelj, Senior Brand Manager, Body Care, Henkel Canada Corporation. “The Dial brand is committed to understanding the evolution of Canadians’ handwashing needs and evolving and innovating our formulations to meet those needs now and in the future.”

The results of the recent survey*, conducted in English and French by Leger, the largest Canadian-owned polling, marketing research and analytics firm, include:

• Survey participants were asked to prioritize habits they are most likely to continue in the future, whether or not the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Almost  half ‏(49%) identified more frequent handwashing as the key habit they’ll adopt in the future followed by mask wearing ‏(26%) and social distancing ‏(19%).
• Almost two-thirds of adult respondents ‏(65%) said they are washing their hands more frequently as compared to the start of the pandemic in Canada in March 2020. Of those surveyed with children, 60% said their children were washing their hands more frequently.
• Surprisingly, 36% of respondents admitted to washing their hands “sometimes” prior to eating a meal. This number is up slightly (from 33%) from results of the brand’s May 2020 survey when the same question was asked of Canadians in a similar Dial survey.
• Two-thirds of those surveyed ‏(66%) said that frequent handwashing during the pandemic has made their hands feel dryer and/or damaged. A little less than half ‏(43%) say they are actively seeking out hand soap that is formulated to be gentle on their skin.

While the new Dial Clean + Gentle foaming hand wash is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic and gentle on skin ($3.99 MSRP), the formula is also vegan and free of dyes, parabens, phthalates, and silicones. As an extension to this product line, Dial also announces the launch of its Dial Clean + Gentle body wash ($4.49 MSRP). Both are available at leading Canadian retailers that sell hand washes and body washes.

*The Dial survey was conducted by Leger in March 2021 and included a representative sample of 1,512 English and French-speaking Canadians, 18 years of age or older. The survey with a sample of this size is representative of the Canadian population and has no limitations concerning gender, nationality and living in designated provinces. The sample size allows valid conclusions on a 99% significance-level within a deviation of 3.89%. The reported results are all far above these criteria and therefore highly significant.