The company behind Domestos, Cif and Comfort has warned households of accelerating price rises for the rest of the year after a jump in the cost of cleaning products following the war in Iran.
Unilever, the FTSE 100 consumer goods giant , said prices across its range of products had risen by 2.3pc in the three months to the end of September, adding that the pace could increase further as the conflict in the region drags on.
The third-quarter figure is almost quadruple the 0.6pc rate seen in the first half of the year and will add to fears of a further squeeze on family shopping budgets .
The company's home-care division, which includes household names such as Cif and Comfort saw the fastest price increases with a rise of 3.6pc.
Across its personal-care arm, which includes the men's fragrance Lynx and Dove skincare, price increases averaged 2.4pc.
In the first nine months of 2026 as a whole, Unilever's price increases averaged 1.1pc.
Unilever's prices are rising at their fastest since the 3pc recorded in the final months of 2023 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine plunged energy markets into chaos.
Srinivas Phatak, the chief financial officer, said he expected a further acceleration in prices in the fourth quarter.
The company blamed "higher commodity costs" for the rise in prices. Energy, packaging and shipping costs have all spiked dramatically since US and Israeli forces began attacks on Iran in February.
Unilever said underlying sales growth reached 5.2pc in the third quarter, with revenues hitting €13.3bn (£11.1bn), while volumes were up by 2.9pc.
The FTSE 100 business is in the process of combining its food division, which includes brands such as Knorr and Hellmann's, with the US company McCormick. The deal is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.
It spun off its Magnum ice cream business last year.
Unilever is the second major British manufacturer of household essentials this week to reveal price increases caused by the Iranian conflict.
Reckitt, the maker of Dettol and Durex, revealed on Tuesday that it had raised prices to offset higher costs.
Reckitt said shoppers were increasingly hunting for discounts and switching to cheaper retailers as household budgets remained under pressure .
The number of products it sold in Europe fell 3.2pc in the three months to September, while sales rose 0.8pc despite a 4pc boost from higher prices and changes in the products customers bought.
