Inflation is hurting Unilever, but investors shouldn’t give up just yet

Consumer goods group Unilever has been underperforming as inflation bites. It's made errors in the past, says Rupert Hargreaves, but with valuable brands and a global reach, it still has plenty going for it.

Unilever products in China
Unilever’s priority markets are the US, India and China.
(Image credit: © VCG via Getty Images)

For years investors have turned to consumer goods giant Unilever (LSE: ULVR) as a safe haven investment. However, over the past five years the FTSE 100 stock has returned just 1.5% a year (including dividends) compared to 4.2% for the FTSE All-Share.

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Rupert Hargreaves
Contributor and former deputy digital editor of MoneyWeek

Rupert is the former deputy digital editor of MoneyWeek. He's an active investor and has always been fascinated by the world of business and investing. His style has been heavily influenced by US investors Warren Buffett and Philip Carret. He is always looking for high-quality growth opportunities trading at a reasonable price, preferring cash generative businesses with strong balance sheets over blue-sky growth stocks.

Rupert has written for many UK and international publications including the Motley Fool, Gurufocus and ValueWalk, aimed at a range of readers; from the first timers to experienced high-net-worth individuals. Rupert has also founded and managed several businesses, including the New York-based hedge fund newsletter, Hidden Value Stocks. He has written over 20 ebooks and appeared as an expert commentator on the BBC World Service.