Consumer goods giant Unilever has revealed stronger than expected underlying sales over the past three months as it prepares to spin off its Gloucester-based ice cream business.
Improving consumer demand in North America and increased pricing help boost sales over the third quarter of 2025.
Nevertheless, the Dove and Marmite maker saw total turnover decline for the period after a drag from currency exchange rates and the sale of brands.
It said turnover fell 3.5% to 14.7bn euros (£12.8bn) over the third quarter of 2025, compared with a year earlier.
This was linked to a 6.1% decline from currency fluctuations and a 1% decline caused by its disposals, such as The Vegetarian Butcher.
However, it said underlying sales growth was 3.9% year-on-year, amid a boost from its beauty and personal care brands.
It added that sales volumes across the group were 1.5% higher, with underlying growth also supported by increased pricing.
Beauty and wellbeing sales accelerated to 5.1% over the quarter, including a 2.7% rise in prices. Unilever said this included strong sales of Dove hair products, Vaseline, Liquid IV and Nutrafol.
Meanwhile, Cif and Domestos both reported double digit growth within the group’s home care business.
Elsewhere, underlying food sales grew by 3.4%, including a 2.1% rise in pricing, as Hellmann’s reported positive sales.
Fernando Fernandez, chief executive of Unilever, said: “We continued to outperform in developed markets in the third quarter, led by our strong innovation programme, and, following decisive interventions, stepped up our emerging markets performance with a return to growth in Indonesia and China.
“Our performance excluding ice cream showed good sequential improvement, with a step up in volume growth.”
Bosses said the company is still on track to complete the demerger of its ice cream business, which makes brands such as Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s, by the end of the year.
It comes despite the company warning earlier this week that the current US federal government shutdown has delayed the demerger process.
It had originally planned to float the Magnum ice cream company next month, with a primary listing in Amsterdam and secondary listings in New York and the Ƶ.
