Unilever’s leadership is optimistic about its enormously expanded hygiene business – both skin cleansing and home cleaning – inasmuch as it doubts that a full COVID-19 recovery is in sight. The firm launched hand sanitizers in 65 new markets in just five months, helping to offset plunging sales in other areas of its business that were heavily impacted by lockdowns around the world.
Unilever PLC’s hygiene business – both skin cleansing and home cleaning – grew by 26% in the firm’s fiscal 2020 second quarter, achieving 17% growth for the first half of the year with roughly €4bn in sales.
“We had a very small hand sanitizer business prior to the outbreak of COVID-19,” noted CEO Alan Jope in a...