The consumer goods giant announced on Tuesday that it would no longer use the term to describe certain physical features on its packaging for beauty and personal care products, including Rexona deodorants and Sunsilk shampoos.
The company says the move “is because global research into people’s experiences in the beauty industry reveals that using ‘normal’ to describe hair or skin makes most people feel left out.”
Unileverthe is one of the world’s largest retail suppliers, with 2.5 billion customers in more than 190 countries.
In a statement, it said a recent study it commissioned and commissioned showed that “seven in ten [respondents] agree that the use of the word ‘normal’ on product packaging and advertisements has a negative impact. For younger people – those aged 18-35 – this increases to eight out of ten. “
More than half of those surveyed also said that “they now pay more attention to a company’s position on social issues before purchasing products,” Unilever added.
“With a billion people using our beauty and personal care products every day, and even more seeing our ads, our brands have the power to make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Sunny Jain, Unilever’s president of beauty and beauty. personal care, in the company’s statement.
“We know that removing ‘normal’ from our products and packaging will not only solve the problem, but it is an important step forward.”
It says it has more work to do.
Unilever also said Tuesday that it would no longer “digitally alter a person’s body shape, size, proportion or skin color in its brand advertising, and increase the number of ads depicting people from various groups who are underrepresented”.
Companies around the world have increasingly changed their brand names in response to customer demands to be more inclusive. Last year, many major companies renamed or discontinued products, including Quaker Oats with the Aunt Jemima brand in the United States and Nestlé with its Red Skins and Chicos candies in Australia.
Unilever was no exception. Last year, its Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Unilever, removed the word “Fair” from its skincare brand “Fair & Lovely” following complaints.
The company acknowledged in a statement at the time that it had previously “played out the benefits of fairness, whitening and skin lightening” while marketing its products. The brand is now called “Glow & Lovely.”
Competitors, including L’OréalLRLCF and Johnson & JohnsonJNJ, also said they would rename or discontinue some of their skincare brands in India for similar reasons.
Unilever has worked in recent years to diversify its product lines by partnering with minority companies. For example, in 2017, the company made headlines with the acquisition of Sundial Brands, the black maker of SheaMoisture and other popular skin and hair care brands.
