AI drives innovation and efficiency at Unilever

Artificial intelligence is reshaping Unilever’s Personal Care division, driving performance across marketing, manufacturing, and retail. From powering data-driven creativity to optimising production lines, AI is now embedded in the company’s end-to-end operations—delivering measurable results from factory floor to consumer engagement.

AI tools are helping teams improve efficiency, productivity, and personalisation. At Unilever’s Personal Care factory in Hefei, China, for example, AI integration has led to an 8 percent increase in overall equipment effectiveness and a 20 percent reduction in wastage.

From marketing to manufacturing, AI powers results

AI is also fuelling social-first marketing success. Dove’s Change the Compliment campaign, launched on International Day of the Girl, used AI to analyse real-time consumer responses and identify the most effective creative messages. Activated across 25 markets, the campaign achieved 700 million impressions and a 94 percent positive sentiment within 30 days.

Report: “Creating Desire at Scale for our brands begins with knowing what consumers are looking for. AI enables brands to engage authentically with cultural moments at speed.”

AI tools enhance engagement, insights and execution

In retail, Unilever’s Personal Care teams are applying AI to improve in-store execution and sales performance. In Latin America, AI tools provide merchandising teams with prioritised action lists tailored to local needs.

Claudia Meira, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Personal Care and Beauty & Wellbeing, LATAM: “We’re bringing digital tools to the frontline in Brazil to help boost sales at the point of sale. More than 3,600 merchandisers across 6,000 stores now use data to decide which stores to visit and what actions will have the biggest impact. With image recognition and sales data, they can proactively address empty shelves and visibility gaps.”

Personal Care teams embrace data-led transformation

AI adoption is being scaled through training and collaboration. More than 75 percent of office-based Personal Care employees are now regular users of AI productivity tools. The Smart Briefing pilot tested by the Closeup marketing team showed a 14 percent improvement in brief quality, 26 percent higher satisfaction, and up to 58 percent time savings.

In research and development, AI has significantly accelerated discovery cycles. Algorithms analysing complex biological data have shortened product innovation timelines, as seen in the creation of Odour Adapt technology for the whole-body deodorant range.

Smarter production and safer factories

Across Unilever’s manufacturing network, AI supports predictive maintenance, quality control, and digital twin technology to enhance speed and reduce waste. In Aguaí, Brazil, the Safety Suite system uses image recognition to identify potential risks, improving on-site safety detection by 12 percent.

At the Hefei factory in China, AI has contributed to an 8 percent increase in equipment effectiveness, a 15 percent reduction in batch cycle time, and a 20 percent drop in material wastage.

Morgan Vawter, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Personal Care, Home Care and Foods: “We’re proud of what we’ve collectively achieved across Personal Care, and we’re even more excited about what we haven’t solved yet.”

www.unilever.com

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