- Unilever (UL, UN) is facing fresh racism complaints about its Fair & Lovely brand, one of the firm's best-selling products in India with $560M in annual sales.
- Employees have grilled top executives at town-hall events about why the company still sells skin-lightening products, while several online petitions have been started as the conversation shifts to social media.
- "Fair & Lovely upholds principles that no association should be made between skin tone and a person’s achievement, potential or worth," a Unilever spokeswoman declared. "We're aware that historic advertising is available on the internet, which is not in keeping with the current values of the brand."
- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) recently said it would stop selling similar skin-lightening products under its Clean & Clear and Neutrogena brands. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) and L'Oréal (OTCPK:LRLCY) are among other companies selling popular lightening creams.