Green sleeves? Laundry detergent being tweaked owing to gen Z’s love of matcha
It used to be curry sauce, egg yolk and red wine that ruined Britain’s clothes but in a sign of the times laundry detergents are being reformulated to tackle stains left by matcha lattes, Aperol spritz and bubble tea.In a month when year-end gongs are dished out, from BBC Sports Personality to Pantone’s Colour of 2026 (a white called “cloud dancer”), matcha has received the dubious accolade “stain of the year”.The honour has been handed to the Japanese green tea after it topped the inaugural “stains index”.The ranking, compiled by the washing detergent maker Unilever, identified “new and emerging stains based on evolving lifestyles and culture”.To this end, matcha, Aperol and bubble tea top what was an actual laundry list of the country’s hottest stains.
However, it could also be a proxy of the zeitgeist, given gen Z’s thirst for morning matcha coffees and fluorescent boba teas,While some could consider the topic a bit of a turn-off, Donna Macnab, Uniliver’s director of laundry research and development, said the world of stains offered an “interesting reflection on our lifestyles and routines”,“The first thing you notice about stains like matcha and Aperol is they’re very highly coloured,These bright colour pigments [there’s a chlorophyll in matcha] penetrate the fibres, making the drinks difficult to remove,” she said,Washing powder adverts used to be preoccupied with wholesome outdoor stains such as mud and grass stains and Macnab said these stains had not gone away, but added: “As we see new pigments and residues emerge, we test new formulas and adapt our products.
”To compile the index, Unilever polled 2,000 UK adults on their most frequent and biggest stains “concerns”, looking at “traditional” marks such as blood, mud and grass, alongside “modern” stains, including Aperol, glitter and matcha,Perhaps due to their social media-friendly food choices, the research found young Britons were tackling a notably higher volume of dirty marks, with 70% of generation Z staining their clothes every week compared with 16% of boomers,Matcha topped the list of stains gen Z experienced more of in the past 12 months, with 39% reporting stubborn green marks, followed closely by Aperol (38%),Another food trend leaving its mark was “hot sauces” notably sriracha (34%),While red wine (47%) and curry sauce (47%) were still Britain’s top stain headaches when putting a wash on, for gen Z it fast food grease (40%) and coffee and tea (29%).
The poll also revealed that 91% of gen Z had thrown away clothing because it was spoiled by a mark.“We are picking up that younger people don’t know tips for getting stains out,” said Macnab, who added that the advice had not changed much over the years: scrape off the excess and soak in soapy cold water before sticking it in the wash.But it is not just what gen Z are eating and drinking that is leaving its mark, it is their beauty regimes, too, with makeup and fake tan among the top “lifestyle” stains.In response to the research, scientists based at Unilever’s Port Sunlight laboratories in Wirral have tweaked the formulas of its Persil and Surf brands to ensure they are a match for matcha.It was not the first time that changing lifestyles sent the company’s experts back to the drawing board.
Last year, Unilever launched the Persil spinoff Wonder Wash to tackle the musty smell of gym gear.The shift to remote working meant “athleisure” clothing such as T-shirts, joggers and leggings were being worn every day.The company identified that this had made smells rather than stains a problem, with invisible sweat and smell-causing body oils, clinging to athleisure wear.The index will be updated annually to monitor new stains and inform the development of Unilever’s new laundry products.Matcha (39%).
Aperol/Cocktails (38%).Lipstick/bronzer (37).Protein shakes/sports drinks (35%).Bubble tea (35%).Nail polish (35%).
Sriracha/hot sauces (34%).Deodorant (33%).Makeup/foundation (32%).
Ho, ho, Hamburg: bringing the flavours of a true German Christmas market home
From glühwein to lebkuchen, bratwurst to stollen, recreating the delicacies I sampled in the city’s festive markets is wholly achievable. Plus, a new digital cookbook for a good cause Sign up here for our weekly food newsletter, FeastWithout wanting to sound tediously Scrooge-like, the German-style markets that have become seasonal fixtures in many British cities over the last few decades never make me feel particularly festive. What’s remotely Christmassy – or German – about Dubai-chocolate churros and Korean fried chicken, I grumble as I drag the dog (who enjoys all such things) around their perimeters.Hamburg’s markets, however, which I was myself dragged around last weekend, are a very different story. For a start, the city has many of them, mainly fairly small – and some, such as the “erotic Christmas market” in St Pauli, with a particular theme
Christmas gift ideas for drinks lovers, from champagne to canned cocktails
Don’t get pulled in by silly gadgets: buy presents you’d be happy to receive yourselfThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Alcohol is an unavoidable part of a festive spread (for more advice on which wines, beers and other drinks I like for each and every occasion, take a look at last week’s Christmas drinks guide), but, sometimes, a drink deserves a place under the tree as well as around it – especially if it’s an easy win for a drinks devotee for whom you need to buy a prezzie.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
Nine bring-a-plate ideas for Christmas drinks, barbecues and dinner parties this summer – recipes
Like nibblies, the concept of bringing a plate to a social event or a host’s home can be deeply confusing across cultures and generations. Are you carting canapes? Are you slinging salad? Are you delivering dessert? If we’ve learned anything from the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, it’s that communication is key. So if you’re unsure about what your host expects, just ask.Below are nine summer-friendly recipes to suit various bring-a-plate scenarios: one-bite snacks that go with cocktails, salads to bring to barbecues and make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, arranged in each category from easiest to most ambitious.And if time is seriously short, you could throw together a pleasingly arranged antipasto-ish plate comprised of Guardian Australia’s top supermarket taste test products: crackers, feta, salami and pickles
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband no longer called ‘chocolate’ after recipe change
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars can no longer be called chocolate after Nestlé reformulated their recipes due to the increasing cost of ingredients.The Swiss conglomerate now describes the treats as being “encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating”, rather than being covered in milk chocolate.In the UK, a product needs to have at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids in order to be described as milk chocolate, a level each product fell below after a higher amount of cheaper vegetable fat was used.Nestlé said the changes were necessary due to higher input costs but were “carefully developed and sensory tested”, adding there were no plans to alter the recipes of other chocolate products.A spokesperson for Nestlé said it had seen “significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products
How to use a spent tea bag to make a boozy, fruity treat – recipe | Waste not
Save a used teabag to flavour dried fruit, then just add whisky for a boozy festive treatA jar of tea-soaked prunes with a cheeky splash of whisky is the gift you never knew you needed. Sticky, sweet and complex, these boozy treats are wonderful spooned over rice pudding, porridge, yoghurt, ice-cream or even panna cotta.Don’t waste a fresh tea bag, though – enjoy a cuppa first, then use the spent one to infuse the prunes overnight. Earl grey adds fragrant, citrus notes, builders’ tea gives a malty depth, lapsang souchong brings smokiness, and chamomile or rooibos offer softer, floral tones. It’s also worth experimenting with other dried fruits beyond prunes: apricots, figs and/or dates all work beautifully, too
Christmas food gifts: Gurdeep Loyal’s recipes for Mexican-spiced brittle and savoury pinwheels
Edible Christmas gifts are a great excuse to get experimental with global flavours. For spice lovers, this moreish Mexican brittle, which is inspired by salsa macha (a delicious chilli-crunch), is sweet, salty, smoky, crunchy and has hints of anise. Then, for savoury lovers, some cheesy pinwheel cookies enlivened with XO sauce. XO is a deeply umami condiment from Hong Kong made from dried seafood, salty ham, chilli and spices. Paired with tangy manchego, it adds a funky kick to these crumbly biscuits
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