Unilever will intensify its focus on beauty, well-being, and personal care products, while making disproportionate investments in the United States and India, its top two markets, CEO Fernando Fernandez said on Thursday.
The statement came during the company’s earnings call following the release of its June quarter results.
Unilever reported a 3.8% underlying sales growth in Q2. The consumer goods giant, known for brands like Dove and TRESemmé, follows a January–December accounting year.
Strong Performance in Developed Markets
Fernandez attributed the Q2 improvement to strong performance in developed markets and what he called ‘decisive interventions’ in emerging markets. He took over as CEO earlier this year following the sudden exit of predecessor Hein Schumacher.
Fernandez announced the appointment of Priya Nair as the new CEO and MD of Unilever India, noting her extensive experience in both domestic and global markets. Nair previously led the company’s global beauty and well-being vertical.
“Her leadership aligns with the evolving consumer trends and distribution channels in India,” Fernandez said.
Unilever Targets Premium Segments and Digital Commerce
Looking ahead, Fernandez outlined three clear strategic priorities:
- Doubling down on beauty, well-being, and personal care
- Investing heavily in the US and Indian markets
- Sharpening focus on premium offerings and digital commerce
He said the company is building a marketing and sales engine designed to ‘drive desire at scale’ for its flagship brands and ensure ‘execution excellence across all distribution channels’.
The goal, he said, is to deliver consistent volume growth and improved gross margins.
In the first half of 2025, Unilever reported underlying sales of €30.1 billion, reflecting a 3.4% growth, slightly ahead of analysts’ estimates.
However, reported sales dropped 3.2%, impacted by currency headwinds and disposals. Underlying operating profit declined by 4.8% to €5.8 billion, due to strong comparables from the previous year.
Fernandez remained optimistic. “The first-half performance sets a solid foundation for the full year. We expect accelerated growth in emerging markets, especially in Asia, and sustained momentum in developed markets during the second half,” he said.
Unilever’s beauty and well-being division contributed 21% of total group turnover in H1. The division recorded 3.7% underlying sales growth, with 1.7% driven by volume and 2% by pricing.
The well-being segment continued to perform well, while beauty growth remained subdued. Within the division:
- Hair care sales remained flat
- Dove products posted mid-single-digit growth, driven by a significant relaunch featuring fibre repair technology and new packaging
- Clear brand sales declined due to slow market growth in China
- TRESemmé experienced a drop in volumes
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