Sanjiv Puri to be ITC's new FMCG director and other top FMCG news of the day

Round up of the major headlines that dominated the FMCG sector, nationally and internationally.

Consumer goods maker Unileve said it would switch to using only renewable energy by 2030 and would stop using energy from coal by 2020, as businesses jostle to highlight their green credentials ahead of a global climate summit.

Top officials from consumer goods companies have raised a red flag on rural consumption for the next two-three quarters after a second consecutive year of a deficit rainfall and lack of stimulus stressed their incomes and adversely affected sales across product categories. Sales growth of household items, ranging from toothpastes and detergents to biscuits and beverages slowed to about 5-6 per cent from about 11-12 per cent last year, said two CEOs of companies with large rural footprints.

After a research of about 10 years, ready-to-eat pioneer P Sadananda Maiya has come up with two new types of masala cubes which dissolve into hot water to produce the aromatic South Indian soup, rasam.

In a top-level change, diversified group ITC has elevated Sanjiv Puri as Director of its FMCG business. Puri would take charge from P Dhobale, who is a director on the board of ITC and has responsibility for the group's FMCG businesses.