Unilever koopt REN Skincare


02/03/2015

Unilever heeft een overeenkomst getekend voor de acquisitie van REN Skincare, een iconisch Brits huidverzorgingsmerk. Het merk is in 50 landen op de markt, waaronder Nederland. (Bericht alleen uitgegeven in het Engels.)

Unilever to acquire REN Skincare

London/Rotterdam, 2 March 2015 - Unilever announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire REN Skincare, the iconic British skincare brand.

Created in 2000 by Antony Buck and Robert Calcraft, REN pioneered a new type of high performance skin care. REN's combination of effectiveness, naturalness and pleasurable experience - articulated as `performance; purity; pleasure' - gives the brand a highly distinctive market position that
has global relevance. The multi-award winning brand is today sold in 50 countries and has built a committed consumer base. The range is sold predominantly in specialty stores and pharmacies.

Vasiliki Petrou, Unilever SVP Prestige Brands, says: "We are delighted to be adding REN to the Unilever portfolio of personal care brands. It is a brand with an incredibly loyal following, with a unique proposition that no doubt gives it potential for even further growth, especially given that
the naturals category is one of the fastest growing in skincare globally. Its premium positioning complements well our existing portfolio."

Antony Buck, REN CEO, adds: "It's been an amazing experience creating and building REN over the last 15 years but it's time for the brand to go to the next level. Unilever is a great company with great principles; it has a profound understanding of brands and global reach; it makes the perfect
partner to help REN fulfil its future potential worldwide. We can't wait to get started!"

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to close in May 2015, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Media Enquiries: Please contact mediarelations.rotterdam@unilever.com or +31 (0)102174844

About Unilever:

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers on any given day. It has 174,000 employees and generated annual sales of EUR48.4 billion in 2014. Over half of the company's footprint is
in the faster growing developing and emerging markets (57% in 2014). Their portfolio includes Persil, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann's, Lipton, Wall's ice cream, Marmite, Magnum and Lynx.

Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) aims to double the size of the business whilst reducing environmental footprint and increasing positive social impact. It says the USLP is their strategic response to the challenges businesses face operating in an uncertain and volatile world. Its
three goals are:

* Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being
* Decoupling their growth from their environmental impact
* And enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020

Supporting these goals, the company has defined nine commitments, underpinned by targets encompassing social, environmental and economic areas. For more information about the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/(Link opens in a new window).

Unilever was ranked number one in their sector in the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In the FTSE4Good Index Series, they attained a top environmental score of 5, leading to inclusion in the FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index. In 2014 they led the list of Global Corporate
Sustainability Leaders in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility annual survey - for the fourth year running. In 2014 Unilever was named in LinkedIn's Top 3 most sought-after employers across all sectors and is also LinkedIn's No. 1 most sought-after FMCG employer worldwide. For more information about
Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com(Link opens in a new window).

Safe Harbour

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, including `forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as `will', `aim', `expects', `anticipates', `intends', `looks', `believes', `vision', or the
negative of these terms and other similar expressions of future performance or results, and their negatives, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and
other factors affecting the Unilever group (the "Group"). They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance.
Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Among other risks and uncertainties, the material or principal factors
which could cause actual results to differ materially are: Unilever's global brands not meeting consumer preferences; Unilever's ability to innovate and remain competitive; Unilever's investment choices in its portfolio management; inability to find sustainable solutions to support long-term
growth; customer relationships; the recruitment and retention of talented employees; disruptions in our supply chain; the cost of raw materials and commodities; the production of safe and high quality products; secure and reliable IT infrastructure; successful execution of acquisitions,
divestitures and business transformation projects; economic and political risks and natural disasters; financial risks; failure to meet high ethical standards; and managing regulatory, tax and legal matters. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting the Group are described
in the Group's filings with the London Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext in Amsterdam and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Group's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2013 and Annual Report and Accounts 2013. These forward-looking statements speak only
as of the date of this announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the Group expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group's
expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Unilever NV

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