The consumer goods giant announced on Tuesday that it would no longer use the term to describe certain physical characteristics in its packaging for beauty and personal care products, which include Rexona deodorants and Sunsilk shampoos.
The company says the change “comes at a time when a global survey of people’s experiences in the beauty industry reveals that using ‘normal’ to describe hair or skin makes most people feel left out.”
Unilever (UL) is one of the largest retail suppliers in the world, with 2.5 billion customers in more than 190 countries.
in a statement said that a recent study he commissioned and conducted found that “seven out of ten [respondents] agrees that the use of the word ‘normal’ on product packaging and advertising has a negative impact. For the youngest – those aged between 18 and 35 – this rises to eight out of ten. “
More than half of respondents also said that “they now pay more attention to the company’s stance on social issues before buying products,” added Unilever.
“With a 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 in people’s lives,” said Sunny Jain, president of beauty and care Unilever’s personal information in a company statement.
“We know that removing the ‘normal’ from our products and packaging will not solve the problem alone, but it is an important step forward.”
On her own, she still has more work to do.
Unilever also said on Tuesday that it would no longer “digitally alter a person’s body shape, size, proportion or skin color in its branded ads and will increase the number of ads depicting people from different groups who are underrepresented “.
Companies around the world are increasingly changing the brand in response to customer demands to be more inclusive. Last year, many companies renamed or renamed their products, including Quaker Oats with their brand Aunt Jemima in the United States and Nestlé with their candy Red Skins and Chicos in Australia.
Unilever was no exception. Last year, its Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Unilever, removed the word “Fair” from its skin care brand “Fair & Lovely” after complaints.
The company acknowledged in a statement at the time that it had already emphasized “the benefits of fairness, whitening and skin whitening” when marketing its products. The brand is now called “Glow & Lovely”.
Competitors, including L’Oreal (LRLCF) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), also said it would rename or discontinue some of its skin care brands in India for similar reasons.
Unilever has been working to diversify its product lines by partnering with companies run by minorities in recent years. In 2017, for example, the company made headlines with the acquisition of Sundial Brands, a black-owned maker of SheaMoisture and other popular skin and hair care brands.
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