Profits up 10% at Unilever

CONSUMER products giant Unilever saw its sales jump 10% to £43bn last year.

The Anglo-Dutch group, behind top household brands such as PG Tips, Hellman’s mayonnaise and Persil washing powder, said sales grew in all its categories and geographies in the final quarter of the year.

Net profits were up 7% to £4.1bn but the company warned of a challenging global market due to intense competition and volatile commodity costs.

Emerging markets, which make up around 55% of the company’s turnover, grew by 11.4%.

Unilever, which is investing £40m at its Port Sunlight base near Liverpool to create a centre of excellence, is now the third-biggest consumer goods group after Nestle and Procter & Gamble.

Chief executive Paul Polman said: “These results have been achieved in tough economic conditions, with volatile commodity costs and in an intensely competitive environment.”