Unilever

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A British multinational consumer-goods company with historic Dutch roots and a portfolio spanning beauty, personal care, home care and nutrition.

Last updated October 28, 2026

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First read: Nov 3, 2026
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Overview

Unilever PLC is a British multinational consumer packaged-goods company headquartered in London, with corporate roots in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It was created through the combination of Margarine Unie, a Dutch margarine group, and Lever Brothers, the British soap maker founded by William Hesketh Lever. The combination brought together businesses that depended on related oils, fats, manufacturing capabilities and international distribution networks, while giving the resulting company greater scale in sourcing and consumer-goods production. Unilever’s portfolio has historically extended across food, ice cream, tea, spreads, condiments, detergents, household cleaning products, soap, deodorants, skin care, hair care, oral care and hygiene products. Rather than relying primarily on the Unilever corporate name at the point of sale, the group has generally operated a house of brands. Major brands associated with its businesses have included Dove, Lux, Wall’s, Lipton, Knorr, Hellmann’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Vaseline, Pond’s, Sunsilk, Rexona and many regional labels. Brand ownership is not static: acquisitions, disposals, licensing arrangements and reorganizations have repeatedly changed which businesses belong to Unilever. The company expanded substantially during the twentieth century through international investment and acquisitions. It moved beyond its original concentration in soap and edible fats into personal care, detergents, ice cream, tea, packaged foods and beauty. Large transactions added businesses such as Brooke Bond, Pond’s, Bestfoods, Ben & Jerry’s, SlimFast and Alberto-Culver. In later decades Unilever increasingly emphasized beauty, health and personal care, while selling or separating slower-growing food, spreads, tea and other activities. The group’s operating structure has consequently evolved from a broad conglomerate into a more focused consumer-goods portfolio. Unilever sells through supermarkets, independent retailers, wholesalers, e-commerce, food-service operators and other distribution channels. Its products serve mass-market and premium segments and are adapted to local tastes, regulations, income levels and cultural preferences. The company maintains research and development operations in countries including China, India, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Its performance is affected by commodity prices, inflation, currency movements, retailer bargaining power, supply-chain disruption, regulation and changing consumer preferences. Sustainability has been a recurring element of Unilever’s corporate strategy and public communications. Relevant themes have included sustainable agricultural sourcing, plastic and microplastic reduction, climate impacts, hygiene, responsible supply chains and product formulation. The company has also faced criticism and regulatory or political scrutiny relating to brand conduct, corporate lobbying, environmental claims, labor and supply-chain issues, and the conduct of individual subsidiaries. Its current identity is best understood as an international portfolio company focused principally on beauty and wellbeing, personal care, home care and nutrition, while its historical food and ice-cream holdings continue to be reshaped through disposals and proposed separations.

History

Unilever’s history combines the development of British soap manufacturing with the expansion of the Dutch margarine industry. Lever Brothers became a major British soap producer under William Hesketh Lever, while Margarine Unie emerged from the consolidation of Dutch margarine companies. The two businesses merged around 1929–1930, creating Unilever and combining complementary interests in oils, fats, consumer products and international distribution. During the 1930s Unilever expanded its activities in Africa and Latin America and acquired the United Africa Company, a business connected to British commercial interests in Africa. During the Second World War, restrictions and occupation in continental Europe limited the company’s ability to reinvest in some European operations, encouraging further acquisitions and investment in the United Kingdom and United States. Businesses and brands acquired during the 1940s included interests connected with Lipton, Birds Eye, Batchelors and Pepsodent. After 1945 the group diversified beyond edible fats and soap as competition intensified in detergents and personal care. Sunsilk launched in Britain in 1954 and Dove was introduced in the United States in 1957. Unilever also expanded in ice cream, acquiring Good Humor in 1961. Lipton became part of the group in 1971, strengthening its tea interests, while National Starch was acquired in 1978. From the 1980s Unilever sought to become a more focused fast-moving consumer-goods company rather than an unwieldy conglomerate. It acquired Brooke Bond in 1984, Pond’s in 1986, and several cosmetics businesses later in the decade. During the 1990s it expanded in ice cream, shampoo, deodorants and skin care, while also disposing of or reorganizing selected chemical and industrial activities. In 1997 it sold its specialty-chemicals division to Imperial Chemical Industries, marking a major withdrawal from that field. The year 2000 was especially significant. Unilever acquired Bestfoods, adding brands such as Knorr, Hellmann’s, Marmite and Bovril, and also purchased Ben & Jerry’s and SlimFast. The company reorganized into food and home-and-personal-care divisions in 2001. It subsequently sold or separated various food, oils, spreads and agricultural-related businesses while continuing to build personal-care and beauty capabilities. Acquisitions included Alberto-Culver in 2010, Dollar Shave Club in 2016, and a series of skincare, cosmetics, natural-food and personal-care companies in the following years. Unilever’s strategic direction in the 2010s increasingly favored health, beauty and personal care, while some mature food categories were divested or separated. The spreads business was sold to KKR and became Upfield. Most of the global tea business was later sold to CVC Capital Partners through the Ekaterra transaction. In 2021 Unilever created Elida Beauty as a stand-alone beauty business, later agreeing to sell it to Yellow Wood Partners. In 2024 the company announced plans to separate its ice-cream operation and continued to reduce or reshape its food portfolio. These changes reflect a long-running effort to concentrate resources on businesses with stronger growth, brand equity and operational scale.

2024
Ice-cream separation announced
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever announces plans to separate its ice-cream business as part of a broader portfolio and cost programme.
2021
Ekaterra tea-business sale agreed
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever agrees to sell most of its tea business to CVC Capital Partners.
2018
Spreads business becomes Upfield
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
The disposal of Unilever’s margarine and spreads business to KKR is completed, creating Upfield.
2017
Kraft Heinz approach rejected
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever rejects an approach from Kraft Heinz to combine the two companies.
2012
Microbead phase-out announced
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever announces plans to eliminate plastic microbeads from personal-care products by 2015.
2000
Bestfoods, Ben & Jerry’s and SlimFast acquisitions
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
A group of major acquisitions expands Unilever’s food, ice-cream and nutrition portfolio.
1997
Specialty chemicals division is sold
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever sells its specialty-chemicals businesses to Imperial Chemical Industries.
1984
Brooke Bond acquisition
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever acquires Brooke Bond, adding major tea brands including PG Tips.
1971
Lipton joins Unilever
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever acquires Lipton Ltd from Allied Suppliers, strengthening its international tea business.
1957
Dove launches in the United States
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Dove is introduced to the US market and later develops into a major global personal-care brand.
1954
Sunsilk launches in the United Kingdom
[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
Unilever introduces Sunsilk in the British market, expanding its hair-care portfolio.
1930
Margarine Unie and Lever Brothers combine
[1]Unilever official historyunilever.com
The Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie and British soap maker Lever Brothers combine to form Unilever.

Products and positioning

An international, multi-category consumer-goods group serving everyday household, personal-care, beauty, health and food occasions through a portfolio of mass-market and premium brands.

Beauty and personal care · 1957
Dove
Dove is one of Unilever’s best-known personal-care brands. Its range has included beauty bars, body washes, deodorants, skin-care products and hair-care products. The brand is commonly positioned around gentle cleansing, moisturization, skin care and self-confidence, with product assortments varying by market.
Personal care
Lux
Lux is a personal-care brand associated with soaps, body washes and bathing products. It has traditionally used fragrance, beauty and celebrity-oriented communications to occupy a mass-market position, particularly in Asian, African, Middle Eastern and other international markets.
Tea and beverages
Lipton
Lipton has long been associated with Unilever’s tea operations and has sold tea bags, loose tea, iced tea and other tea-related products. Ownership and operating arrangements differ by product and market, especially after the sale of most of Unilever’s tea business and the continuing PepsiCo joint venture for certain ready-to-drink products.
Ice cream
Wall’s
Wall’s is a major ice-cream brand historically operated within Unilever’s ice-cream portfolio. It offers packaged ice creams and frozen desserts, with names, recipes and ranges adapted across countries. Its future corporate ownership is affected by Unilever’s announced separation of the ice-cream business.
Food and nutrition
Knorr
Knorr is a food brand acquired through Bestfoods. Its products have included bouillons, stocks, seasonings, soups, sauces, noodles and meal solutions. The brand is designed to help consumers prepare everyday meals and has extensive local product variation.
Condiments
Hellmann’s
Hellmann’s is a condiment brand that became part of Unilever through the Bestfoods acquisition. It is principally associated with mayonnaise and related dressings and sauces, with formulations and product lines adapted to regional markets.
Ice cream · 2000
Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s is an ice-cream brand acquired by Unilever in 2000. It is known for flavored ice creams, distinctive product names and a public social-mission orientation. The brand operates within Unilever while retaining a comparatively distinct identity and governance arrangements.
Skin care
Vaseline
Vaseline is a skin-care brand associated with petroleum jelly, lotions and body-care products. It serves basic skin-protection and moisturization needs and has been marketed internationally across both developed and emerging markets.

Controversies

2021
Political dispute over Ben & Jerry’s Israel-related activities
Florida designated Unilever as a scrutinized company after Ben & Jerry’s announced restrictions on sales in Israeli-controlled territories. The dispute concerned the relationship between the subsidiary’s social-policy decisions and the parent company’s responsibilities.
Source
2021
Unilever tells Jewish organizations it does not support the boycott movement
Unilever chief executive Alan Jope wrote to major Jewish organizations that week, saying the company did not support the boycott movement and repudiated discrimination and intolerance.
Source
2020
Unilever and other brands pause Facebook advertising amid boycott
Unilever announced that it would pause advertising for the rest of the year, and Ben & Jerry's, Patagonia and The North Face said they would pause Facebook advertising amid calls for a social-media ad boycott. The campaign pressed Facebook to address hate speech and other harmful content.
Source
2020
Kenyan workers file UN complaint against Unilever
A group of 218 Kenyan tea plantation workers filed a complaint with the United Nations, alleging that Unilever violated international human-rights standards and failed to provide appropriate assistance to employees attacked during the 2007 ethnic violence. Unilever stated that it strongly opposed the allegations and had provided significant support to affected employees.
Source
2020
Unilever backs the Halo Code on workplace hair discrimination
Unilever signed the Halo Code and pledged to protect workers with afros and dreadlocks. The code is intended to address bias against hairstyles associated with racial, ethnic and cultural identities. Unilever said it would support and communicate the code to its employees.
Source

2020COVID-19 hygiene and food support
Global
Unilever committed products and donations including soap, sanitizer, bleach and food during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outcome. The company reported contributions exceeding €100 million.
Source
2007Tea sourcing partnership with Rainforest Alliance
Global tea markets
Unilever partnered with Rainforest Alliance to support more sustainable sourcing of tea.
Outcome. The partnership became part of the company’s broader responsible-sourcing and sustainability agenda.
Source
1998Sustainable agriculture programme
Global
Unilever established a sustainable agriculture programme, beginning a more formalized approach to agricultural sourcing and environmental standards.
Outcome. Created a continuing corporate framework for responsible sourcing and supplier engagement.
Source

Brand decisions

2024
Separate the ice-cream businessStrategy
Background
Unilever identified ice cream as a business requiring a different operating model from its remaining consumer-goods categories.
Action taken
The company announced a plan to separate the ice-cream unit while implementing a cost-saving programme.
Aftermath
The plan placed brands such as Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s within a proposed stand-alone structure, subject to the separation process.
Source
2017
Reject Kraft Heinz combination proposalM&A
Background
Kraft Heinz proposed combining with Unilever in a transaction that would have created a much larger global packaged-food and consumer-goods group.
Action taken
Unilever rejected the approach, and Kraft Heinz withdrew the proposal shortly afterward.
Aftermath
Unilever remained independent and continued its own portfolio reshaping and emphasis on higher-growth categories.
Source
2012
Phase out plastic microbeadsStrategy
Background
Plastic microbeads used in some personal-care products attracted environmental criticism because they could enter waterways.
Action taken
Unilever announced that it would remove microbeads from its personal-care products by 2015.
Aftermath
The announcement became part of Unilever’s wider product-formulation and environmental strategy.
Source

Recent events

2025
Unilever agrees to acquire Dr. Squatch[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
M&A
Unilever announced an agreement to acquire the American personal-care brand Dr. Squatch from Summit Partners, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
2025
Former Unilever Rus changes name to Arnest UniRus[10]Former Unilever Rus changes name to Arnest UniRusrbc.ru
Leadership change · Other
The former Russian subsidiary updated its corporate name and branding after becoming part of the Arnest group while continuing to produce consumer products at Russian facilities.
2025
Unilever expands social-first and sports marketing activity[11]Unilever expands social-first and sports marketing activitymarketingdive.com
Campaign · Other
Trade coverage described a substantial increase in Unilever's United States sports-marketing activity and highlighted creator-led and social campaigns connected with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including activity for Dove Men+Care.
2025
Unilever chief executive Hein Schumacher to leave[12]Unilever chief executive Hein Schumacher to leavewwdjapan.com
Leadership change
Schumacher left the chief executive role after less than two years, with Fernando Fernandez named as his successor.
2025
Fernando Fernandez promotes a social-first marketing strategy[13]Fernando Fernandez promotes a social-first marketing strategyfinance.sina.com.cn
Campaign
Media reports described the new chief executive's intention to increase the share of advertising activity conducted through social platforms and to work with a much larger network of creators, experts and local influencers.
2024
Unilever announces ice-cream separation plan[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
M&A · Leadership change
The company announced plans to separate its ice-cream business, alongside a cost-saving programme and a planned reduction of approximately 7,500 jobs.
2024
Unilever announces sale of Unox and Zwan[2]Unileveren.wikipedia.org
M&A
Unilever announced an agreement to sell the Unox and Zwan food brands to Zwanenberg Food Group, subject to completion conditions.
2024
Unilever receives approval to sell its Russian business[14]Unilever receives approval to sell its Russian businessrbc.ru
M&A · Other
Russian authorities approved the proposed sale of Unilever Rus, including local manufacturing and brand-related rights, to a Russian buyer.
2024
Unilever completes sale of Russian and Belarusian operations to Arnest[15]Unilever completes sale of Russian and Belarusian operations to Arnestsostav.ru
M&A · Other
The company exited Russia and Belarus through a transaction with Arnest; the former Russian subsidiary later changed its name to Arnest UniRus.
2024
Unilever announces a planned separation of its ice-cream business[16]Unilever announces a planned separation of its ice-cream businessunilever.com
M&A · Other
Unilever announced that it intended to separate its ice-cream operations as part of a broader productivity and portfolio-simplification program. The proposed standalone business includes major brands such as Wall's, Magnum and Ben & Jerry's.

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