Reckitt Benckiser reveals new FA partnership as consumer giant reports record sales

Reckitt Benckiser revealed a new partnership with The Football Association on Wednesday as the consumer goods giant reported like-for-like net sales up 11.8% to nearly £14 billion in 2020 after the pandemic saw demand for disinfectants soar.

The FTSE 100 firm, maker of Dettol and Lysol, is to "help protect" players and fans at sites including Wembley Stadium as the FA's new official hygiene partner, putting new safety measures in place for games.

The FA’s commercial and marketing director, Kathryn Swarbrick, the partnership "will give us added reassurance as we look ahead to the complete return of our much-loved sport".

RB saw its disinfectants enter 41 new markets in the year, and said Dettol is now used in over 300million households around the world.

The company, which also owns Nurofen and Durex condoms, said its ecommerce net revenue soared by 56% in the year, and now accounts for around 12% of group net revenues. It reported a full-year operating profit of £2.16 billion, up from a reported operating loss of £1.95 billion in 2019.

Chief executive Laxman Narasimhan reiterated a target for 2021 of 0-2% like-for-like revenue growth and said its portfolio is set for a future post-Covid.

The firm said it has sold its Scholl brand - known for its gel plasters - for an undisclosed amount to Dr Scholl’s owner Yellow Wood, and said it bought both US topical pain relief brand Biofreeze and a US feminine wellness brand as part of Narasimhan's aim “to play in new spaces and places”.

RB had faced challenges before the pandemic. Narasimhan, who took over the Slough-based firm in 2019, is in the process of executing a turnaround plan for the business aiming “to rejuvenate sustainable revenue growth”. 

The chief executive said that today "consumers have understood that protection is a good thing".

Narasimhan said: "2020 was a turning point for RB. Our performance is strong, we are building capability, actively managing our portfolio and transforming our culture. We expect 2021 to be a year of further strategic progress and we remain confident that we will meet our medium-term targets.

"Our portfolio is clearly resilient - with or without COVID-19 - and we are building a stronger business for the future... around 80% of our consumers expecting to retain many of their new improved habits post pandemic."