Unilever news and archive

Unilever sells Russian business

Unilever has announced the sale of its Russian business following mounting pressure on the cosmetics and personal care giant. The move was revealed in a statement from group’s CEO Hein Schumacher, who said that the subsidiary was offloaded to Arnest Group, a Russian manufacturer of perfume, cosmetics and household products. The sale will include...

Fashion |Beauty

Hellmann’s unveils first-ever mayonnaise fragrance

Unilever brand Hellmann’s has teamed up with NFL Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis to launch the first-ever mayo-scented fragrance. The Will Levis No. 8 fragrance has been developed to harness the “tantalising scent” of mayonnaise with notes of tart lemon, mayonnaise accord, coffee undertones, musk and vanilla. The launch follows Levis’...

BusinessFeatured

Unilever grows sales and profit in the first half period

Underlying sales growth at Unilever was 4.1 percent in the first half period, while turnover increased 2.3 percent to 31.1 billion euros. The company said that Underlying operating profit was 6.1 billion euros, up 17.1 percent, underlying operating margin was up 250 bps to 19.6 percent, with gross margin up 420 bps. Underlying EPS increased 16.3...

Business|Beauty

Dove commits to never using AI to represent “real beauty”

Skincare brand Dove states that artificial intelligence (AI) is threatening the representation of real beauty, and it commits to never using AI to represent real women in its adverts. The pledge comes as the Unilever-owned brand celebrates 20 years of its ‘Campaign for Real Beauty,’ where it challenges society, media, and the beauty industry to...

Business

Unilever to acquire haircare brand K18

Personal care and cosmetics giant Unilever has announced the acquisition of haircare brand K18 in what it said is a continuation of the optimisation of its portfolio towards “higher growth areas”. The biotech label, founded in 2020 by Suveen Sahib, offers a range of six products that help to address hair damage, allowing for it to be favoured by...

Business|Beauty

Unilever to sell Elida Beauty to Yellow Wood

Consumer goods giant Unilever is to sell Q-Tips maker Elida Beauty to Boston-based private equity firm Yellow Wood for an undisclosed sum. Elida Beauty features more than 20 beauty and personal care brands, including Q-tips, Tigi, Caress, Timotei, Impulse, and Monsavon, and generated around 0.8 billion euros in 2022. Fabian Garcia, president of...

Business

Unilever under fire for alleged greenwashing

Personal care and cosmetics giant Unilever is facing an investigation by a UK watchdog over a series of environmental claims it has made leading to greenwashing allegations. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated a review into the “concerning practices” of the conglomerate, including that of “vague and broad” language, the...

Business

Unilever promotes Fernando Fernandez as new CFO

Unilever has announced the appointment of Fernando Fernandez as its new chief financial officer. Fernandez, currently president of Unilever’s beauty & wellbeing business group, will replace Graeme Pitkethly, who announced his decision to retire from the company earlier this year. Fernandez’s appointment is effective from January 1, 2024, and he...

Business|Beauty

Unilever sells grooming brand Dollar Shave Club

Consumer goods conglomerate Unilever has sold men’s grooming brand Dollar Shave Club to US-based private equity firm Nexus Capital Management LP for an undisclosed amount. Unilever, which acquired the men’s grooming brand in 2016, said in a statement that it would retain a minority shareholding of 35 percent. The American company offers a range...

Business

Unilever posts sales and profit growth

Underlying sales at Unilever grew 9.1 percent, driven by all business groups. The company said in a statement that the group’s turnover increased 2.7 percent to 30.4 billion euros. The company reported a 7.9 percent rise in underlying second-quarter sales. Underlying operating profit improved 3.3 percent to 5.2 billion euros, with a 10 bps...

Business

Unilever experiences strong sales for Q1 driven by price growth

British consumer goods group Unilever has announced its financial results for Q1 of 2023, largely defined by a strong underlying sales growth of 10.5 percent driven by price growth in response to cost inflation. Its price growth rose 10.7 percent, while all of its business groups and geographies also saw increases, including beauty and...

Fashion Featured

Influencers can help people switch to sustainable living

Research from Unilever suggests that social media influencers can have a positive impact on consumer behaviour, especially when it comes to sustainability. Unilever partnered with a cohort of eco-conscious influencers and behavioural scientists to examine the role of influencer content in impacting sustainable choices. In partnership with the...