Unilever is making "drastic" changes in its Indonesian operations, according to Chief Financial Officer Fernando Fernandez, as the company grapples with consumer boycotts of multinational brands in response to the ongoing war in Gaza. These boycotts have worsened the company's distribution challenges in the region.
Unilever, known for brands like Dove, Knorr, and Ben & Jerry's, first reported in February that Southeast Asian sales had taken a hit due to Indonesian shoppers boycotting multinational brands, linked to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
Speaking after delivering slightly better-than-expected quarterly sales, Fernandez said Unilever plans to make its brands more "contemporary" to adapt to the significant societal changes taking place in Indonesia. He expects improvement over the next six months.
Unilever’s Indonesian unit reported an 18% drop in third-quarter revenue, largely driven by a decline in volumes. CEO Hein Schumacher acknowledged "long-standing issues" in the country but noted that major changes in the third and fourth quarters will not yield immediate results. The company is also revamping its distribution system to stabilize prices and recover market share lost during the consumer backlash. Fernandez noted that Unilever has already regained one-quarter of its lost market share.
Despite these efforts, analysts like Warren Ackerman from Barclays remain skeptical, pointing to Unilever's underperformance in Indonesia for nearly a decade.
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