HUL, Dabur trim headcount while lifting median pay in FY26

FMCG majors Hindustan Unilever and Dabur cut employee numbers in FY26 even as they raised median compensation for remaining staff, signalling a broader trend of workforce trimming paired with higher pay across leading consumer goods firms.

— Filed Mon, 13 Jul, 2026, 09:05 IST · Source ET Retail · Updated

FMCG majors HUL and Dabur reduced employee headcount in FY26 while raising median pay for remaining staff, reflecting a broader trend of workforce trimming alongside higher compensation among leading consumer goods firms.

Why this matters

The move extends a pattern where HUL and Dabur trim permanent headcount as median pay rises 6-12%, with FMCG majors split on staffing while chasing automation and AI-led efficiency.

Retail-company signals are accelerating, up 743200% QoQ.

Also reported by