Big FMCG firms move to protect turf as competition from start-ups hots up

Firms move to protect turf as competition from unconventional rivals intensifies

Last week, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) said it was launching a liquid detergent, responding to retailer Future Group rolling out a similar product only a few weeks earlier in its stores. This is one of the most recent examples — not the first, and definitely not the last — of a fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company fighting competition from unconventional rivals, whether online or offline.

In recent months, FMCG firms such as Dabur, Marico, ITC and Bajaj Consumer are all padding up, launching digital-only brands in categories such as personal care, male grooming and premium hair nourishment, as e-tailers and start-ups increasingly