Unilever To Drop ‘Fair' From Brands

Move amid growing protests against racism

- 

FMCG giant Unilever will drop the word “fair” from its “Fair & Lovely” brand of skin lightening products which are popular in India but have long been criticised for being racist and promoting negative impressions of people with darker skin.

The development comes as FMCG companies face a mounting backlash on social media in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The move also comes close on the heels of Unilever’s arch rival Johnson & Johnson announcing this month that it would stop selling skin-whitening creams which are popular in Asia and the Middle East.

Unilever announced on Thursday that the next step in the evolution of its skincare portfolio to a more inclusive vision of beauty - which includes the removal of the words fair, white, and light from its products' packs and communication. As part of this decision, the Fair & Lovely brand name will be changed in the next few months.