Anglo-Dutch consumer good giant Unilever anticipates further price erosion due to a highly competitive European market, chief executive Patrick Cescau has said.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


“In 2005, we cut prices in Western Europe by more than one percent,” Cescau
told the Financial Times Deutschland. “Will that be enough? Competition will show that.”


He continued to say that although Unilever is not following an active strategy of price cuts, many are being forced on the company by the need to compete with discount supermarkets’ own branded products.


The main problem in Europe, Cescau observed, is lack of growth potential. Indeed, earlier this month the company announced the sale of its European frozen food division, stating that it failed to see enough potential for future growth.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact