India's rural markets impacted due to high food inflation: Unilever CEO

Jope said the company saw 15.6 per cent growth in the country during the quarter, during which price and volume were up 11.2% and 3.9%, respectively

Urban markets in India have seen strong growth, but low-income consumers, especially those from rural areas, have continued to reel from high food inflation, Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, told investors on Thursday during a conference call after announcing its December quarter earnings. 

“Rural markets remain broadly flat… But we remain confident that we can continue to grow ahead of the market in India,” Jope said. 

October-December quarter growth remained strong for Unilever driven by India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, Graeme Pitkethly, CFO of Unilever, said. 

Jope said the company saw 15.6 per cent growth in the country during the quarter,