It is now a decade since Unilever stopped providing refill pouches for its washing liquid in the UK owing to lack of demand. But it seems that consumers’ forgotten environmental conscience is reawakening.

Ecover, a private company based in Belgium that makes ecological washing and cleaning products, says sales are growing at the rate of 20 per cent per year in the UK, its biggest market, reaching £35m (€52m, $66m) last year. The company is building a new factory in France to keep up with demand.