22-04-2025
Unilever rolls out major sustainability drive in UAE in bid to boost sales, shift consumer behaviour
Global consumer products giant Unilever, in collaboration with regional biggies LuLu and Emirates Nature-WWF, has unleashed a unique sustainability campaign in the UAE – and the wider region – driving consumers to reimagine being environment-friendly as a cool, accessible and everyday choice rather than a luxury through a combo offer of product discounts and tangible environmental benefits on purchases.
The major tactical strategy shift is already paying off handsomely, with the smartly conceived initiative boosting sales by double-digit figures month-on-month for the Anglo-Dutch consumer products major.
The company has also roped in Dubai-based popular social media influencers and content creators such as Amar & Rim – amarandrim – and Shihab Al Hashemi – Shihabkoo – to amplify its campaign messaging on social media.
Besides, it has also rolled out an aggressive omnichannel media strategy to deepen its consumer engagement and campaign reach, spanning radio, in-mall experiences and digital content that is estimated to have garnered over 7 million video views already and counting.
'In the UAE, we've launched a pioneering mangrove restoration campaign in partnership with LuLu Group, Mastercard, and Emirates Nature-WWF. We've seen a 12 per cent year-on-year uplift in sales across sustainable products during our recent UAE campaign, with a 13 per cent increase compared to previous months,' Manan Gupta, General Manager – Beauty & Wellbeing for Middle East, Pakistan, Turkey & Bangladesh, Unilever, told Arabian Business.
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Gupta, who assumed charge in his new role early this month, however, said while consumer awareness around sustainability has grown, the challenge remains in converting that awareness into significant action at the shelf.
'This initiative also highlights public-private partnerships and community engagement as key for bridging the gap between awareness and tangible action – ultimately advancing the UAE's ambitious environmental targets,' he said.
The Unilever senior executive said such initiatives are scalable and act as blueprints for expansion across other markets in the region, 'reinforcing our regional leadership in sustainable business transformation'.
Changing consumer perception remains major challenge
Industry watchers, however, said that though the consumer campaign by Unilever directly addresses the challenge of changing deeply ingrained consumer behaviours by emphasising the power of education in shifting perceptions and driving action, the relatively high prices for environmental-friendly – or organic – products still remain a major barrier to sustainable purchases.
While consumers increasingly prioritise sustainability, many still perceive eco-friendly products as more expensive, often beyond what they are willing to pay, they said.
The 2024 Global Sustainability Study by Simon-Kucher, a leading global pricing consultancy, also showed that affordability is the primary factor preventing mass adoption of sustainable goods, though consumer willingness to pay a premium has risen to 54 per cent compared to the earlier levels.
Similarly, recent research by Bain & Company found that while the US consumers are open to paying an 11 per cent premium for sustainable products, these items are often priced 28 per cent higher, creating a gap between intent and affordability.
'Unilever has long recognised this challenge, which is why our recent campaign deliberately addressed the price barrier,' Gupts said.
He said by combining product-level incentives such as discounts with initiatives that link purchases to tangible environmental benefits, the company's new campaign in the UAE made sustainability feel less like a luxury and more like an accessible, everyday choice.
'Our just concluded first sustainability campaign was aimed to help, educate, encourage, and incentivise consumers to make sustainable product purchases and become an integral part of the solution and support nature restoration,' he said.
Gupta, however, said the industry must continue working to close the pricing gap because 'when sustainability becomes the easy choice, it becomes the default choice'.
Unilever Arabia's green campaign
Gupta said Unilever Arabia is actively tackling the value-action gap through education, in-store nudges, and impactful storytelling.
'Our campaign – 'A Great Deal for Everyone' – combined product promotions with environmental action, such as restoring 6,000 mangrove trees, which will offset an estimated 120,000 kg of CO₂e over five years.
'In-store interventions, educational activations and consumer pledge at LuLu Barsha, a dedicated microsite, and strategic product placement all aimed to make sustainable shopping more intuitive and rewarding,' he said.
Gupta also cited the findings by independent Kantar research, studying the impact of the company's campaign, that 67 per cent of UAE consumers felt empowered to make greener choices in the future, while campaign awareness rose 7.9 points—far above industry norms.
'Our findings reveal that by making sustainability more accessible—through education, visibility, and rewards—consumers are increasingly willing to engage.
'However, we also believe that driving lasting behavioural change takes time and consistent brand commitment.'
The Dubai-based Unilever regional top honcho also revealed that the company's sustainability initiatives are not limited to the UAE, but are embedded across multiple brands and markets.
While this began locally, it aligns with our broader global commitments, like achieving net-zero emissions across our value chain by 2039 and implementing regenerative agriculture practices on 1 million hectares by 2030, he said.
'For over 15 years, sustainability has been core to Unilever's mission, starting with the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP). Today, our focused strategy spans climate, nature, plastics, and livelihoods,' Gupta said.
