Unilever Reports Strong Q2 Performance in Volume Growth, Updates Full-Year Outlook
Unilever reported strong underlying sales growth (USG) of 5.8% for the second quarter of 2026, driven by a contribution of 5.5% from volume and 0.2% from price increases. The company highlighted its best quarterly volume performance since 2010 with Underlying Volume Growth at 5.5%. Power Brands delivered robust growth of 6.9%, now accounting for 78% of total turnover. Segment-wise, Home Care saw the highest USG at 9.1%, led by cleaning product demand in India, Brazil, and Indonesia. Beauty & Wellbeing also performed well with an 8.1% increase due to strong Hair Care and Prestige Beauty brands like Paula's Choice and Hourglass. Emerging markets contributed significantly with a combined growth of 8.3%. However, North America saw slower USG at 3.6%, despite outperforming the broader market. Unilever’s first-half turnover reached €25.6 billion, up slightly by 0.5% after accounting for currency headwinds. The underlying operating margin expanded to 20.3%. Management upgraded its full-year USG guidance to a range of 4-6%, with expectations that growth will shift from volume-led in the first half to price-led in the second.
Topics: Segmental Results Underlying Sales Growth Volume Performance