Unilever off to a strong start, despite a slowdown in Europe

Unilever delivered a solid performance in the first quarter, with underlying sales growth of 3.8%. The new focus on non-food products is paying off, as growth was driven primarily by household products and beauty brands.

Positive start to the year

Unilever reported total revenue of 12.6 billion euros. Underlying revenue growth, which excludes acquisitions, divestitures, and currency fluctuations, came in at 3.8%, exceeding analysts’ expectations. CEO Fernando Fernandez described it as a “good start to the year,” with sales volumes continuing to grow. Higher prices contributed only 0.9% to growth in the past quarter.