HUL plans to extend Lux brand to deodorant market

India-based consumer goods major Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is planning to extend its bath and shower brand Lux to deodorant segment.

HUL’s Anglo-Dutch parent Unilever has so far extended the 112-year-old Lux brand into a range of body and hair wash products, reported economictimes.indiatimes.com.

According to the firm, the Indian fragrance market which accounts for Rs13bn ($234.6m) is growing rapidly, offering new opportunities to enter the segment.

Hindustan Unilever deodorants category head Kedar Teny said the brand is popular with its inspiring fragrance as a bathing product, which could also be extended into the other segements.

"In the last two years, the women deo segment has almost doubled, growing by over 40% annually,"said Teny.

HUL said that the company might consider expanding the idea to other markets, based on the response from the Indian market.

The firm is already having presence in the Indian antiperspirant market, with male deodorant Axe, and with women’s brands such as Dove and Sure that account for just 10% of the women antiperspirants market.

HUL has also launched a new range of body sprays under its Denim brand.

For the last few years, the firm has been trying to extend most of its key brands to newer categories such as hand and face wash, liquid detergent and premium skin lightening.

The firm’s presence in the personal care segment contributes 30% to its Rs220bn($3.97bn) sales and to half of its operating profit, from most of its brands such as Dove and Ponds which offer higher margins, the newspaper reported.

HUL has been growing rapidly in the highly competitive Indian deodorant market where it faces new competitors such as Wipro with Santoor and Yardley, and Vini Group, with Fogg and 18 respectively.