Method of manufacturing an automatic dishwashing detergent product

An automatic dishwashing detergent product provided as a discrete dosage unit comprising a continuous, non-aqueous gel phase, the gel phase comprising 10 wt % to 50 wt. % of non-ionic surfactant and at least 20 wt % polymeric builder, wherein:

• the polymeric builder is in a dissolved state in the non-aqueous gel phase,
• the non-ionic surfactant is one or more optionally end-capped alcohol alkoxylates,
• the polymeric builder is made by the free radical polymerization of acrylic acid monomer and optionally one or more further α,β-ethylenically unsaturated acids, wherein no more than 0.1 wt % of the total amount of the monomers are crosslinking monomers,
• the free radical polymerization reaction occurs in a non-aqueous liquid reaction mixture comprising the non-ionic surfactant and 10 wt. % to 60 wt. % of at least one non-water solvent comprising a water-soluble organic solvent, without an intermediate step of drying the non-aqueous liquid to form a solid comprising the polymeric builder;
• and
• the polymeric builder has a weight average molecular weight in the range of 1000-70000 g/mol.