Age is just a number

HOW SANTOOR’S SLOW BURN STRATEGY MADE IT THE COUNTRY’S TOP-SELLING SOAP

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

WIPRO CONSUMER CARE and Lighting (WCCL) recently announced that its flagship soap brand Santoor has edged past Hindustan Unilever’s (HUL) Lifebuoy to reach ₹2,850 crore in 2025 revenues, making it the largest-selling soap in India.

HUL’s Lux isa close third and while rival companies do not disclose brand-specific revenues, WCCL’s CEO Vineet Agarwal in his media statements has stressed that he is confident of Santoor’s lead over Lifebuoy.

“Santoor’s journey has been shaped by deep consumer understanding, disciplined execution, and the belief that consistent value creation wins over time.We have worked to give great quality tothe consumer, byconstantly upgrading the product, beit in perfume, superior sensorial or performance in hard water, which combined with exciting advertising — have all helped shape the brand’s success,’ he said.

The 40-year-old soap bar, in its signature orange hue, has come a long waysinceits test launchin 1985 in Bengaluru, never veering from its advertising narrative the ‘Santoor mom’ who has also evolved in her social roles and aspirations over the years. Its pricing discipline — even today a base 100 gm barretailsat ₹30 compared to Lux’s ₹34 — also kept it accessible yet premium enough to feellike an upgrade from mass soaps, say experts, boosting its appeal among middle-class consumers. While urban consumers have dabbled with new soap brands, Santoor continued to remaina reliable choice for small-town India.