India FMCG firms report profit jump at Bajaj and staff cuts at HUL, Dabur

Bajaj Consumer Care Ltd posted an 84 percent increase in consolidated net profit for the first quarter of FY27, rising to Rs 70.75 crore on revenue of Rs 341.57 crore. The growth was driven by strong domestic sales of its Almond Drops hair oil and a rebound in its international business, with double‑digit topline growth in Nepal and Bangladesh despite disruptions from the West Asia crisis.

In the same period, two of India’s largest FMCG companies, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Dabur, reduced their permanent workforces in FY26. HUL’s permanent headcount fell to 5,898 from 6,604 a year earlier, while Dabur’s dropped to 4,770 from 5,343. Both firms reported higher median pay hikes—6.08 percent for HUL and 7.7 percent for Dabur—amid industry moves toward greater automation in manufacturing, warehousing and back‑office functions.