On April 24, Unilever announced that its underlying sales rose by 3.0% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year. The company also shared an update on its large-scale restructuring plan, confirming that approximately 6,000 of the 7,500 planned job reductions have already been completed. This initiative is expected to result in cost savings of €550 million by the end of 2025.
Beauty & Wellbeing: A Key Growth Driver
One of the standout performances in Q1 came from the Beauty & Wellbeing division, which recorded a 4.1% year-on-year sales increase, with volume up 2.5% and pricing up 1.5%.
Wellbeing brands such as Liquid I.V. and Nutrafol delivered strong double-digit growth, boosted by expanding market share through digital channels. Olly also performed well online, recording double-digit volume growth.
In the premium skincare segment, Tatcha and Hourglass maintained solid momentum, while Paula’s Choice and Dermalogica saw slight declines. K18 achieved double-digit growth and has been contributing to reported sales since February 2025.
Hair Care: Relaunch Sparks Renewed Interest
While overall hair care sales remained flat, performance varied across brands.
Dove achieved mid-single-digit growth following a relaunch featuring advanced fiber repair technology and a refreshed packaging design, helping to reignite consumer interest.
Sunsilk, however, experienced stagnant growth due to a strong performance in the prior year and inventory adjustments in the Brazilian market. Meanwhile, Nexxus saw strong double-digit growth, driven by the launch of its HY-Volume line.
CEO Fernando Fernandez commented, “We have started the year with a resilient performance. First quarter underlying sales growth of 3% reflects the strength of our increasingly premium and innovation-led portfolio in developed markets. We have interventions in place in some emerging markets to step up growth in the remainder of the year.”
He added, “Creating desirability at scale for our brands and brilliant in-market execution are the pillars of our plan to turn Unilever into a consistently higher-performing business. We are moving at pace, confident in making progress in 2025 and beyond.”
Looking Ahead
Unilever reaffirmed its full-year outlook, expecting underlying sales growth between 3% and 5%. In addition to continued strength in developed markets such as North America and Europe, the company expects recovery in China and Indonesia to contribute to growth in the second half of the year.
Regarding global trade, the company stated that the direct impact of tariffs on profitability is “limited and manageable,” and noted efforts to strengthen local manufacturing and review pricing strategies in response to rising raw material costs.
Unilever also confirmed that its ice cream division will become an independent business under the name The Magnum Ice Cream Company as of July 1, 2025. The company is planning a listing in the fourth quarter of 2025 on the Amsterdam, London, and New York stock exchanges. A Capital Markets Day is scheduled for September 9.
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