Yahoo Finance Unilever drops word 'normal' from beauty products in inclusivity push
Watch: Unilever to drop 'normal' from beauty products
Unilever (ULVR.L) has revealed that it will drop the word “normal” from around 200 of its beauty products, as well as banning excessive photo editing as it aims to be more inclusive.
The consumer goods company, which owns Dove, Simple and Sure brands, said it would no longer edit “body shape, size, proportion and skin colour” to “create a more inclusive definition of beauty.”
The move, which includes an editing ban on models as well as social media influencers, will be set in motion over the next year.
It followed a Unilever survey of 10,000 people across nine countries, in which seven in 10 said that the word “normal" on beauty product packaging had a negative effect on people. This figure rose to eight in 10 among 18 to 35-year-olds.
More than half of the people (56%) surveyed said that the beauty and personal care industry can make people feel excluded while over seven in ten said the beauty and personal care industry must broaden its definition of beauty.
Sunny Jain, president of beauty and personal care products at Unilever, said: “We know that removing 'normal' from our products and packaging will not fix the problem alone, but it is an important step forward.
“It’s just one of a number of actions we are taking as part of our positive beauty vision, which aims not only to do less harm, but more good for both people and the planet,” he said.
“With one billion people using our beauty and personal care products every day, and even more seeing our advertising, our brands have the power to make a real difference to people’s lives.”
We’re saying #YesToPositiveBeauty
Brands that don’t just do less harm, but also do more good for people and the planet.
Saying no to ‘normal’ in ads and on packs across all our beauty brands is just one way we’re taking action.https://t.co/mmHwMSnVJQ— Unilever #StaySafe (@Unilever) March 9, 2021
Unilever’s beauty and care division is one of the world’s largest advertisers, spending between $4bn and $5bn each year.
The company said it would increase the number of people from under-represented groups and use more natural and biodegradable ingredients across its range of products.
It follows previous allegations that Unilever promoted stereotypes around dark skin tones.
Unilever renamed its skin-lightening cream "Fair and Lovely" in India to “Glow and Lovely” brand after the Black Lives Matter movement challenged companies to rethink their marketing.
READ MORE: Black Lives Matter — 'now is the time for organisations to prove it'
“The product has never been and is not a skin bleaching cream,” Unilever claims on its website.
Last month, the company posted a 5.8% decline in underlying operating profits to €9.3bn euros (£7.98bn, $11.1bn) for the year to December as it was impacted by currency fluctuations.
The group revealed that turnover fell by 2.4% to €50.7bn despite improvements in the fourth quarter, with its hand and home hygiene products, laundry products and food items boosting sales.
It hailed strong performances for Hellmann’s, Ben & Jerry’s and the group’s Vegetarian Butcher plant-based brand.
Alan Jope, Unilever’s chief executive, said: “In a volatile and unpredictable year, we have demonstrated Unilever’s resilience and agility through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Watch: How do influencers make money from Instagram?
