Unilever posted underlying sales growth of 3.8% in the first quarter of 2026, topping analyst expectations, as home care and beauty brands drove volume gains across emerging markets. A company-compiled consensus cited by RTÉ had pegged analyst expectations at 3.6%.
Volume growth of 2.9% outpaced price growth of 0.9% for the quarter, with total turnover of €12.6 billion, down 3.3% from the prior year due to a currency headwind of 7.7%, the company said.
Home Care was the top-performing segment, with underlying sales growth of 6.1% — almost entirely volume-driven at 6.2% — led by strong results in India and Brazil. Beauty & Wellbeing grew 3.6%, with double-digit volume gains in Dove and Vaseline. Personal Care grew 3.7%, driven by deodorants and skin cleansing, while Foods was the slowest-growing segment at 2.2%.
Emerging markets contributed the bulk of growth, with underlying sales up 5.7% and volume up 4.2%. India grew 7%, driven by 6% underlying volume growth. Latin America grew 6.2%, returning to volume growth at 2.6%. Europe declined 0.9%, with volumes down 1.2%, reflecting soft market conditions.
Underlying sales for the Power Brands portfolio — Dove, Axe, Dermalogica, and other flagship labels — rose 5.0%, with volumes up 4.0%.
