Unilever revenue climbs 11.9% for Q1 2012

Anglo-Dutch consumer and personal care products maker Unilever posted 11.9% growth in total sales to €12.1bn in the first quarter of 2012 compared to total sales of €10.85bn for the same period of 2011.

The firm said the noted rise was owing to all categories delivering positive volume growth.

Emerging markets, which currently hold 56% of the total market share of Unilever, registered sales growth of 11.9%, while the developed markets were up 4.2%.

Unilever added that the growth was despite sluggish economies, weak consumer confidence in most markets and sustained levels of competitive intensity.

Underlying sales of the company excluding acquisitions, disposals and currency movements rose 8.4%.

Unilever posted a volume growth of 3.5% and price rise of 4.7% in the first quarter of 2012.

The company said that skin cleansing category grew ahead of firm’s markets owing to the continuing success of Dove Nutrium Moisture shower gels and the roll-out of Dove Men+Care.

Vaseline is said to be performing well and is continuing to benefit from the Essential Moisture hand and body range which is available in 14 markets.

The company said the hair category also benefitted with the roll-out of the existing brands in new markets along with strong innovation performance, while in the deodorant category Dove saw a double digit growth reflecting success in both male and female markets.

Unilever said that the oral growth was driven by market development activities and trading up through premium innovations such as the latest introduction of Signal Sensitive Expert in France.