Unilever sticks with emerging markets as sales rebound

Unilever said yesterday it would stick to its emerging markets growth strategy as a fourth-quarter recovery in sales boosted the consumer goods maker's 2013 results.

Unilever generates more than half of its sales in emerging markets and was hurt by economic weakness last year in countries such as Indonesia and the devaluation of currencies, including the Brazilian real and Indian rupee.

However, the Anglo-Dutch firm said yesterday that sales in emerging markets rose 8.4 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from a 5.9 per cent rise in the third quarter.

CEO Paul Polman said: "Growth here remains well above that in the developed world and will continue to do so. We are accelerating our investments in emerging markets and there is no change in our strategy." – (Reuters)