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.

Palm oil’s pricing power turns as currency and policy collide

Palm oil prices are rising, but it’s the weak ringgit and policy changes, not demand, that are driving the trade...

B&M European Value Retail delivers revenue growth as turnaround plan progresses

B&M European Value Retail reported a 4% rise in Group revenue to £2.75bn for the 26 weeks to 27 September 2025, supported by new store openings and stable UK like-for-like sales...

Palm oil climbs as Malaysian stocks peak and demand signals improve

Malaysia’s palm oil inventory surge is creating new space for demand growth, giving investors a clearer entry point into the sector...

Hilton Food Group issues Q3 update with resilient trading and cautious 2026 outlook

Hilton Food Group reported steady third quarter trading despite inflationary pressures. Volumes in red meat and convenience remained firm, while challenges persisted in seafood due to softer white-fish demand and ongoing disruption at Foppen...

Dekel Agri-Vision reports higher pricing and cashew capacity gains

Dekel Agri-Vision delivered a constructive October update, with stronger local palm oil and kernel oil pricing helping offset the seasonal dip in production...

Palm oil prices recover as global edible oil signals realign

Palm oil prices are climbing off multi‑week lows, driven by regional oilseed shifts, currency moves and tighter links across the global edible oil chain...

Diageo Plc Q1 FY26 net sales flat as Chinese and US markets weaken

Diageo reported flat organic net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with 2.9% volume growth offset by negative price mix. Strong performances in Europe, Latin America, and Africa were balanced by weaker demand for Chinese white spirits and a soft US consumer environment...

Palm oil edges into focus as shifting dynamics create room for selective positioning

Palm oil is beginning to show signs of stabilisation as shifting demand dynamics and disciplined price action create room for selective opportunity...

Associated British Foods reports FY2025 results with earnings decline

Associated British Foods plc reported a 1% decline in group revenue to £19.5 billion for the year ended 13 September 2025, with adjusted operating profit down 12% to £1.73 billion...

Palm oil prices react to signals beyond supply

Palm oil prices edge higher as cross-commodity signals and a weaker ringgit reshape margin dynamics for producers...

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...
Search

Funds

Consumer Defensive

Palm oil’s pricing power turns as currency and policy collide

Palm oil prices are rising, but it’s the weak ringgit and policy changes, not demand, that are driving the trade...

B&M European Value Retail delivers revenue growth as turnaround plan progresses

B&M European Value Retail reported a 4% rise in Group revenue to £2.75bn for the 26 weeks to 27 September 2025, supported by new store openings and stable UK like-for-like sales...

Palm oil climbs as Malaysian stocks peak and demand signals improve

Malaysia’s palm oil inventory surge is creating new space for demand growth, giving investors a clearer entry point into the sector...

Hilton Food Group issues Q3 update with resilient trading and cautious 2026 outlook

Hilton Food Group reported steady third quarter trading despite inflationary pressures. Volumes in red meat and convenience remained firm, while challenges persisted in seafood due to softer white-fish demand and ongoing disruption at Foppen...

Dekel Agri-Vision reports higher pricing and cashew capacity gains

Dekel Agri-Vision delivered a constructive October update, with stronger local palm oil and kernel oil pricing helping offset the seasonal dip in production...

Palm oil prices recover as global edible oil signals realign

Palm oil prices are climbing off multi‑week lows, driven by regional oilseed shifts, currency moves and tighter links across the global edible oil chain...

Diageo Plc Q1 FY26 net sales flat as Chinese and US markets weaken

Diageo reported flat organic net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with 2.9% volume growth offset by negative price mix. Strong performances in Europe, Latin America, and Africa were balanced by weaker demand for Chinese white spirits and a soft US consumer environment...

Palm oil edges into focus as shifting dynamics create room for selective positioning

Palm oil is beginning to show signs of stabilisation as shifting demand dynamics and disciplined price action create room for selective opportunity...

Associated British Foods reports FY2025 results with earnings decline

Associated British Foods plc reported a 1% decline in group revenue to £19.5 billion for the year ended 13 September 2025, with adjusted operating profit down 12% to £1.73 billion...

Palm oil prices react to signals beyond supply

Palm oil prices edge higher as cross-commodity signals and a weaker ringgit reshape margin dynamics for producers...

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...
Search

Funds

Consumer Defensive

FTSE 100

Funds