Emerging markets deliver lift at Reckitt Benckiser

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 30, 2026

Reckitt Benckiser reported better-than-expected Q2 sales growth of 4.2%, driven largely by a 9.4% sales rise in emerging markets such as China and India, despite challenges in its Russian business. This growth highlights the increasing strategic importance of emerging markets, which now account for 44% of core revenue and underpin the company's positive outlook and shareholder returns.

Reckitt Benckiser reported stronger-than-expected sales growth for the second quarter ended June 30, driven primarily by rising demand in emerging markets. The FTSE 100 consumer goods company, known for brands such as Dettol and Durex, saw like-for-like net revenue growth in its core business accelerate to 4.2 percent, surpassing analysts’ consensus forecast of 3.6 percent.

Emerging markets, including China and India, played a key role in the company’s performance, posting a 9.4 percent increase in sales despite ongoing Western sanctions impacting Reckitt’s Russian hygiene division. Last week, Reckitt agreed to sell this business unit to Russian manufacturer Arnest, recognizing a £175 million loss on the transaction.

The strong growth in emerging markets helped offset a 1.5 percent sales decline in Europe and a more moderate 2.8 percent increase in North America. Emerging markets now represent 44 percent of Reckitt’s core business revenue, highlighting their growing strategic importance to the company.

Reckitt’s core business figures exclude its Mead Johnson infant nutrition segment, which is currently under strategic review amid ongoing legal challenges related to safety lawsuits in the United States.

During the quarter, the company reported balanced growth with a 2 percent increase in volumes and a 2.2 percent rise in price mix. Headquartered in Berkshire and established in 1999 through the merger of Reckitt & Colman and Benckiser of the Netherlands, Reckitt remains one of the largest global consumer healthcare groups.

In the first half of 2026, Reckitt returned £3 billion to shareholders, including a special dividend. The company announced a new share buyback program valued at up to £500 million to take place over the next 12 months. It also declared an interim dividend of 88.6 pence per share, up 5 percent compared to the same period last year.

Kris Licht, Reckitt’s chief executive, underscored the significance of emerging markets, stating they represent nearly half of the company and show the strongest growth. Licht emphasized that these markets are "perhaps the most strategic," noting that the expansion of middle-class households and consumer spending presents a key opportunity to develop Reckitt’s product categories.

Market analysts from Jefferies described the company’s quarterly update as a “strong” performance, and Reckitt’s shares responded positively, rising 4.3 percent to £54 per share.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.