Finish is owned by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, a British multinational consumer goods company listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker RKT. Reckitt acquired the brand through its 1994 acquisition of Calgon Inc.

Is Finish publicly traded?

Finish itself is not separately traded. Parent company Reckitt Benckiser Group plc is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: RKT) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

What is Finish's market share?

Finish holds approximately 11.8% of the global dishwasher detergent market as of 2025. In the United States, Finish holds 24.1% market share, second to Cascade's 32.8%. In Europe, Finish holds 28-32% regional market share.

Are Finish products phosphate-free?

Yes. European regulations banned phosphates in consumer dishwasher detergents in 2017, and Finish reformulated its products for the European market. Finish products sold globally are phosphate-free, using enzyme-based formulations instead.

Household & Consumer Goods

Who Owns Finish?

Finish is owned by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (LSE: RKT), a British multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Slough, England. Reckitt acquired the Finish brand through its 1994 acquisition of Calgon Inc. Finish was originally launched in 1953 by Economics Laboratory (later Ecolab) as a dishwasher detergent. Reckitt trades on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Parent Company

Reckitt

Acquired

1994

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Slough, England, United Kingdom

Finish Timeline

1953

Finish

Founded by Economics Laboratory

Founded

1994

Acquired by Reckitt

Reckitt acquired Finish

Acquired

mid rangepremiumGlobalOfficial Website

Who Owns Finish?

Parent Company: Reckitt
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Acquisition Year: 1994
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: LSE: RKT

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Finish	Reckitt	Wholly owned

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Finish on Amazon

History of Finish

Founded: 1953
Founders: Economics Laboratory
Acquired by Reckitt: 1994

Finish was launched in 1953 by Economics Laboratory, a company based in St. Paul, Minnesota, that specialized in industrial cleaning products. The brand was created to address the growing adoption of automatic dishwashers in American households during the post-war economic boom. The original Finish product was a powder detergent formulated to remove food residue and prevent spotting on glassware.

Economics Laboratory later became Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions. Ecolab eventually sold the Finish brand to Calgon Inc., which expanded the product range and distribution. Calgon invested in marketing and product development, establishing Finish as a recognized dishwasher detergent brand in North America and Europe.

In 1994, Reckitt and Colman plc (later Reckitt Benckiser) acquired Calgon Inc. for approximately $1.8 billion. The acquisition brought Finish, Calgon water softener, and other household brands into Reckitt's portfolio. Reckitt invested heavily in Finish, expanding the product line from powder detergents to tablets, gels, and rinse aids.

The introduction of Finish Quantum in the 2000s marked a significant product development. Quantum was a multi-chamber tablet that combined detergent, rinse aid, and glass protection in a single dose. This innovation helped Finish compete with Procter and Gamble's Cascade brand, which held the leading position in the North American market.

Finish continued to innovate with products like Finish Powerball, Finish All-in-1 Max, and Finish Quantum Ultimate. The brand expanded its global distribution, becoming particularly strong in Europe where it holds 28-32% regional market share. In Asia Pacific, Finish holds approximately 12-15% market share.

As of 2026, Finish operates as one of Reckitt's key hygiene brands. The brand faces increasing competition from eco-friendly alternatives like Blueland and Dropps, which offer direct-to-consumer subscription models with sustainable packaging. However, Finish maintains strong retail distribution and brand recognition across global markets.

About Reckitt

Is Reckitt the same as Reckitt Benckiser?

Yes. Reckitt is the current trading name of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc. The company rebranded from RB to Reckitt in March 2021 under then-CEO Laxman Narasimhan. The legal name remains Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, and the stock ticker on the London Stock Exchange remains RKT. The rebrand was intended to simplify the corporate identity and align it with the company's purpose in health, hygiene, and nutrition.

What brands does Reckitt own?

Reckitt owns 11 Powerbrands across health, hygiene, and nutrition. Hygiene brands include Dettol, Lysol, Harpic, Vanish, Finish, and Air Wick. Health brands include Mucinex, Nurofen, Strepsils, Gaviscon, and Durex. Nutrition brands include Enfamil and Nutramigen. These brands generated £14.2 billion in net revenue in FY2025 and are sold in over 200 countries. The company divested its Essential Home business in December 2025 for £2.172 billion.

Is Reckitt publicly traded?

Yes, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker RKT and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The company has been publicly traded since the merger of Reckitt and Colman and Benckiser NV in 1999. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake.

Who is the CEO of Reckitt?

Kris Licht is the CEO of Reckitt. He was appointed CEO Designate in May 2023 and assumed the role in October 2023. Licht joined Reckitt in 2019 as President of the Health business and previously held senior roles at PepsiCo. Under his leadership, Reckitt has simplified its operating model, launched the Fuel for Growth cost reduction program, and divested the Essential Home business to focus on its core Powerbrands.

Where is Reckitt headquartered?

Reckitt is headquartered in Slough, England, United Kingdom. The company maintains major operations centers in the United States, China, India, and other key markets. Its manufacturing facilities are located across six countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, China, India, Mexico, and Thailand.

How many people work for Reckitt?

Reckitt employs approximately 40,000 people worldwide across its manufacturing facilities, research centers, and commercial offices. The company has a significant presence in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

What is Reckitt's revenue?

Reckitt reported net revenue of £14.2 billion for FY2025, with adjusted operating profit of £3.5 billion and adjusted operating margin of 24.9%. Core Reckitt like-for-like growth was 5.2%, driven by Emerging Markets growth of 14.6%. The company returned £2.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends, plus a special dividend of approximately £1.6 billion in February 2026.

What are Reckitt's largest brands?

Dettol and Lysol are the largest brands by revenue, driven by their global disinfection franchise. Mucinex is the largest health brand, driven by its US cough and cold market position. Enfamil is the largest nutrition brand, with approximately 35% US infant formula market share. Durex is the world's most widely distributed sexual wellness brand. Finish is the global leader in automatic dishwasher detergent by volume.

Founded: 1999
Headquarters: Slough, England, United Kingdom
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: LSE: RKT
Revenue: £14.2 billion (FY2025)
Employees: Approximately 40,000

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Where Is Finish Made / Based?

Headquarters: Slough, England, United Kingdom
Manufacturing / Operations: Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Poland

Finish Categories & Tags

Dishwasher Detergent Cleaning Products Household Consumer Goods

Finish Sustainability & Ethics

Reckitt has published sustainability commitments that apply to the Finish brand. The company has set targets to reduce plastic packaging, including increasing recycled content in bottles and tablets packaging. Reckitt aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2030.

Finish has introduced products with reduced packaging waste, including concentrated tablet formulations that require less packaging per wash cycle. The brand has also launched refill options in selected markets to reduce single-use plastic. Reckitt reports progress on its sustainability goals annually through its corporate responsibility reports.

However, dishwasher detergents contain chemicals including phosphates, enzymes, and surfactants that can have environmental impacts. European regulations have restricted phosphate content in dishwasher detergents, prompting reformulation of Finish products for the European market. The brand has developed phosphate-free formulations to comply with these regulations.

Reckitt has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040. The company reports Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions annually. Finish's manufacturing facilities are included in Reckitt's carbon reduction programs, which include energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy sourcing.

Awards & Recognition

Finish has been recognized in consumer product industry awards for its innovation in dishwasher detergent formulations. The brand's Quantum product line has received recognition for its multi-chamber tablet technology and glass protection features. Finish products have been rated highly by consumer testing organizations including Consumer Reports and Which? in the United Kingdom.

The brand has won marketing and advertising awards for its campaigns, including the "Finish the Job" campaign that raised awareness about dishwasher maintenance. Finish has also been recognized for product design and packaging innovation in the household products category.

Finish Recalls & Controversies

Finish has faced scrutiny over the environmental impact of dishwasher detergent chemicals. Phosphate-containing detergents have been linked to water pollution and algal blooms in lakes and rivers. European regulators banned phosphates in consumer dishwasher detergents in 2017, requiring Finish and other brands to reformulate their products. The transition to phosphate-free formulations initially resulted in reduced cleaning performance, leading to consumer complaints.

Reckitt has also faced criticism over plastic packaging waste from its household products, including Finish. Environmental groups have called for greater use of recycled materials and refill options to reduce single-use plastic. The company has responded with commitments to increase recycled content and develop reusable packaging solutions.

In 2020, Reckitt faced a cybersecurity incident that affected its manufacturing and supply systems. While not specific to Finish, the disruption highlighted vulnerabilities in the company's global supply chain and temporarily affected product availability in some markets.

Finish Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Backing of Reckitt's global distribution network and marketing resources
+Access to Reckitt's research and development capabilities in cleaning chemistry
+Strong brand recognition as the second-largest dishwasher detergent globally
+Leading market position in Europe with 28-32% regional share
+Diversified parent company with revenue of 14.2 billion pounds providing stability

Considerations

-Faces intense competition from Cascade (Procter and Gamble) in the US market
-Growing pressure from eco-friendly challenger brands like Blueland and Dropps
-Environmental regulations restricting chemical ingredients require costly reformulation
-Plastic packaging waste concerns from consumers and regulators
-Private label products gaining share in value-conscious markets

Frequently Asked Questions About Finish

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Finish

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Cif	Unilever	United Kingdom	1965	Mass market	Global	All Genders
Cascade	Procter Gamble	USA	1953	Mass market	Global	All-ages
Charmin	Procter Gamble	USA	1928	Mass market	United states	All-ages