Facility budgets get decided on case price, then blown on consumption. Two quick calculations put concentrates and ready-to-use products on the same footing.
Convert dilution to litres in use
A 1:64 concentrate yields 65 parts of finished product per part of concentrate. A 4 L jug at 1:64 therefore makes roughly 260 L of usable solution — before you compare anything, restate every product in litres in use.
Calculate cost per litre in use
Divide the case price by the litres in use the case produces. Ready-to-use products dilute at 1:1, so their cost per litre in use is their purchase price — which is where the gap opens up.
- Case price ÷ litres in use = cost per litre in use
- Include the cost of dispensers and bottles in year one only
- Add labour: fewer deliveries and less storage handling is real savings
Where ready-to-use still wins
Concentrates need a dispenser and training. Where staff turnover is high or there is no water access, ready-to-use avoids the far bigger cost of an incorrectly mixed chemical.
Standardise, then set a reorder cadence
Pick one product per task, put it on a saved list, and let a standing order carry the consumables. Consistency is what actually holds the cost down between audits.