Consumer Defensive

Companies involved in the manufacture of food and beverages, household and personal care products, packaging and tobacco. The sector also includes firms providing education and training services. UK‑listed companies in this sector include Unilever plc, Diageo plc, Associated British Foods plc, Imperial Brands plc, Smurfit Kappa plc and Pearson plc.

C&C Group reports solid HY2026 results with earnings and dividend growth

C&C Group plc, owner of Tennent’s and Bulmers, has announced results for the six months ended 31 August 2025, delivering performance in line with expectations...

Greencore–Bakkavor merger clears CMA Phase 1

Greencore and Bakkavor announced that the UK Competition and Markets Authority has completed its Phase 1 review of their proposed merger, raising no competition issues across about 99% of the combined group’s activities...

Palm oil prices start to shift under a different kind of pressure

Palm oil prices are beginning to reflect more than food demand, energy markets are rewriting the script...

Unilever Plc Q3 2025, 3.9% USG, Dividend Up, Outlook Reaffirmed

Unilever reported underlying sales growth of 3.9% in Q3 2025, with 1.5% from volume and 2.4% from price. Turnover was €14.7bn, down 3.5% mainly from currency and disposals...

Reckitt Benckiser posts 7% Q3 revenue growth

Reckitt Benckiser delivered a 7% rise in like-for-like group revenue for Q3 2025, supported by 6.7% growth in Core Reckitt and strong momentum in Emerging Markets...

Unilever revises Magnum demerger timetable Amid US government shutdown

Unilever has announced a revision to the timetable for the planned demerger of The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. due to the ongoing US federal government shutdown...

Bunzl Plc reports steady Q3 trading, reaffirms 2025 outlook

Bunzl plc has reported a 0.6% increase in Q3 revenue at constant exchange rates, with underlying revenue up 0.4% despite challenging market conditions...

B&M lowers FY26 outlook following £7m freight cost adjustment and CFO resignation

B&M European Value Retail has revised its FY26 outlook after identifying around £7 million of overseas freight costs that were not correctly recorded due to a system update earlier in the year...

Palm oil futures edge up as crude and rival oils firm

Palm oil futures are finding support from stronger crude and rival oils as investors watch supply and demand tighten...

Palm oil futures edge higher as energy markets realign

Palm oil futures are rising again as firmer crude oil prices and stronger Asian demand revive investor interest in one of the world’s most traded commodities...

Dekel Agri-Vision Q3 2025: Strong cashew growth supports operations

Dekel Agri-Vision reported a strong Q3 2025 performance at its cashew operation in Tiebissou, with processing up 354% and sales almost sixfold year-on-year, supported by new equipment and improved efficiency...

Bunzl Plc expands with acquisitions in Ireland and Spain

Bunzl =has completed the acquisitions of Caterline Catering Equipment Ltd in Ireland and Anta y Jesús, S.L.U in Spain, each generating revenue of €6 million (£5 million) in 2024...

Warpaint London appoints Berenberg as joint Corporate Broker

Warpaint London, the colour cosmetics supplier and brand owner, has appointed Berenberg as joint corporate broker, working alongside Shore Capital with immediate effect...

Palm oil finds new momentum as supply tightens

Palm oil edges higher as Malaysia’s production slows and supply dynamics begin to tighten...

B&M launches ‘Back to B&M Basics’ plan after weaker H1 trading

B&M European Value Retail reported group revenue growth of 4% to £2.75bn in H1 FY26, but UK like-for-like sales were down 1.1% in Q2. CEO Tjeerd Jegen has launched a turnaround plan focused on pricing, range simplification and on-shelf availability to restore sustainable growth...

Imperial Brands Plc confirms FY25 guidance, £1.45bn FY26 share buyback

Imperial Brands expects FY25 results in line with guidance, supported by growth in tobacco and NGP. The group has announced a £1.45 billion share buyback for FY26, alongside continued dividend growth and progress on its 2030 strategy...

Palm oil futures find fresh momentum as exports and energy align

Palm oil futures climbed this week as currency, exports and energy markets combined to create a stronger backdrop..

Tesco Plc posts strong H1 2025/26 sales growth and raises interim dividend

Tesco reported group sales of £33.1bn for H1 2025/26, up 5.1% year-on-year, with adjusted operating profit rising 1.6% to £1.67bn. Adjusted diluted EPS increased 6.8% to 15.43p, and the interim dividend was lifted 12.9% to 4.80p...

Tate & Lyle pre-close update: CP Kelco integration progress, softer market demand

Tate & Lyle reported strong customer engagement and early cross-selling success following its CP Kelco combination, with planned synergies on track. However, softer consumer demand has slowed near-term performance, with first-half revenue expected to be 3–4% lower and EBITDA down high-single digits...

Diageo prices €1 billion euro-denominated bond issuance

Diageo has priced €1 billion of fixed rate bonds under its European Debt Issuance Programme, split between €500 million due in 2032 with a 3.250% coupon and €500 million due in 2037 with a 3.750% coupon...
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Consumer Defensive

C&C Group reports solid HY2026 results with earnings and dividend growth

C&C Group plc, owner of Tennent’s and Bulmers, has announced results for the six months ended 31 August 2025, delivering performance in line with expectations...

Greencore–Bakkavor merger clears CMA Phase 1

Greencore and Bakkavor announced that the UK Competition and Markets Authority has completed its Phase 1 review of their proposed merger, raising no competition issues across about 99% of the combined group’s activities...

Palm oil prices start to shift under a different kind of pressure

Palm oil prices are beginning to reflect more than food demand, energy markets are rewriting the script...

Unilever Plc Q3 2025, 3.9% USG, Dividend Up, Outlook Reaffirmed

Unilever reported underlying sales growth of 3.9% in Q3 2025, with 1.5% from volume and 2.4% from price. Turnover was €14.7bn, down 3.5% mainly from currency and disposals...

Reckitt Benckiser posts 7% Q3 revenue growth

Reckitt Benckiser delivered a 7% rise in like-for-like group revenue for Q3 2025, supported by 6.7% growth in Core Reckitt and strong momentum in Emerging Markets...

Unilever revises Magnum demerger timetable Amid US government shutdown

Unilever has announced a revision to the timetable for the planned demerger of The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. due to the ongoing US federal government shutdown...

Bunzl Plc reports steady Q3 trading, reaffirms 2025 outlook

Bunzl plc has reported a 0.6% increase in Q3 revenue at constant exchange rates, with underlying revenue up 0.4% despite challenging market conditions...

B&M lowers FY26 outlook following £7m freight cost adjustment and CFO resignation

B&M European Value Retail has revised its FY26 outlook after identifying around £7 million of overseas freight costs that were not correctly recorded due to a system update earlier in the year...

Palm oil futures edge up as crude and rival oils firm

Palm oil futures are finding support from stronger crude and rival oils as investors watch supply and demand tighten...

Palm oil futures edge higher as energy markets realign

Palm oil futures are rising again as firmer crude oil prices and stronger Asian demand revive investor interest in one of the world’s most traded commodities...

Dekel Agri-Vision Q3 2025: Strong cashew growth supports operations

Dekel Agri-Vision reported a strong Q3 2025 performance at its cashew operation in Tiebissou, with processing up 354% and sales almost sixfold year-on-year, supported by new equipment and improved efficiency...

Bunzl Plc expands with acquisitions in Ireland and Spain

Bunzl =has completed the acquisitions of Caterline Catering Equipment Ltd in Ireland and Anta y Jesús, S.L.U in Spain, each generating revenue of €6 million (£5 million) in 2024...

Warpaint London appoints Berenberg as joint Corporate Broker

Warpaint London, the colour cosmetics supplier and brand owner, has appointed Berenberg as joint corporate broker, working alongside Shore Capital with immediate effect...

Palm oil finds new momentum as supply tightens

Palm oil edges higher as Malaysia’s production slows and supply dynamics begin to tighten...

B&M launches ‘Back to B&M Basics’ plan after weaker H1 trading

B&M European Value Retail reported group revenue growth of 4% to £2.75bn in H1 FY26, but UK like-for-like sales were down 1.1% in Q2. CEO Tjeerd Jegen has launched a turnaround plan focused on pricing, range simplification and on-shelf availability to restore sustainable growth...

Imperial Brands Plc confirms FY25 guidance, £1.45bn FY26 share buyback

Imperial Brands expects FY25 results in line with guidance, supported by growth in tobacco and NGP. The group has announced a £1.45 billion share buyback for FY26, alongside continued dividend growth and progress on its 2030 strategy...

Palm oil futures find fresh momentum as exports and energy align

Palm oil futures climbed this week as currency, exports and energy markets combined to create a stronger backdrop..

Tesco Plc posts strong H1 2025/26 sales growth and raises interim dividend

Tesco reported group sales of £33.1bn for H1 2025/26, up 5.1% year-on-year, with adjusted operating profit rising 1.6% to £1.67bn. Adjusted diluted EPS increased 6.8% to 15.43p, and the interim dividend was lifted 12.9% to 4.80p...

Tate & Lyle pre-close update: CP Kelco integration progress, softer market demand

Tate & Lyle reported strong customer engagement and early cross-selling success following its CP Kelco combination, with planned synergies on track. However, softer consumer demand has slowed near-term performance, with first-half revenue expected to be 3–4% lower and EBITDA down high-single digits...

Diageo prices €1 billion euro-denominated bond issuance

Diageo has priced €1 billion of fixed rate bonds under its European Debt Issuance Programme, split between €500 million due in 2032 with a 3.250% coupon and €500 million due in 2037 with a 3.750% coupon...
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Consumer Defensive

FTSE 100

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