HUL, Dabur Trim Permanent Headcount in FY26 Even as Median Pay Rises 6-12%
Hindustan Unilever cut permanent staff to 5,898 from 6,604 and Dabur to 4,770 from 5,343 amid an automation push. Peers bucked the trend: Nestle India (8,680), Marico (1,983) and Tata Consumer (4,558) added staff. All majors lifted median pay 6.08%-12.1%, with Dabur at 7.7% and HUL's non-managerial hike at 6.85%.
India's top FMCG firms show mixed FY26 hiring: HUL and Dabur cut permanent headcount amid automation push, while Nestle, Marico and Tata Consumer grew staff. All raised median pay by 6-12%.
Why this matters
HUL and Dabur's cuts reinforce the automation-led staffing shift flagged earlier, splitting FMCG majors as peers like Nestle and Marico expand headcount even as all lift median pay.
Leadership signals steady at 696 over the past 90 days.