Unilever’s Suave brand led new sanitizer product sales in 2020, when hand sanitizers total sales grew 569%, according to IRI. Sales of rinseable hand-soap sales grew 64% and antiseptics 19%.

Unilever continues move from bolt-ons to larger acquisitions, while identifying potential spin-offs among its beauty and personal care brands.

Growing consumer demand for OTC hand sanitizers driven by the pandemic prompted Unilever to extend its iconic soap brand Dove into the antibacterial market with a hand sanitizer line promoted also to moisturize skin.

Like other comparative claims, say attorneys at the National Advertising Division’s annual conference, advertising that denigrates a competing brand must be substantiated. Advertising detailed previously in HBW Insight that compared nutritional products’ formulations and skin moisturizers’ effectiveness were noted as examples of denigrating claims.