Unilever sees market growth up to 4%

Demand for fastmoving consumer goods will still show respectable growth of 34 per cent this year, compared to 56 per cent last year, despite a severe crisis caused by both economic and political instability, Unilever said yesterday.

"We are quite satisfied with the market's performance this year in showing a positive result amid the economic and political turbulence," said Wannipa Bhakdibutra, vice president for home and personal care at Unilever Group of Companies.

She said that in discussions with many economic experts, she had found that they were still confident in the strong fundamentals of the Thai economy.

"Businesses have reengineered and adjusted themselves to cope with the financial turmoil that hit Thailand in 1997, and many of them now have a strong business foundation and structure to fight against any crisis," she said.

"What I want to see from the new government is its longterm policy and national direction on what they want Thailand to be in the next three years," she said.

Unilever yesterday proclaimed steady progress in its Breeze Vitality Ground project, which aims to complete 200 playgrounds for schools nationwide next year.

The project is moving ahead, Wannipa said. Since early 2006, Unilever has built 140 playgrounds at a total cost of more than Bt150 million. This offers access to playgrounds for more than 50,000 children in 70 provinces.

"The past success is credited to over 700 Unilever employees, who have volunteered and have been working hand in hand to drive this project to reality. We also thank the government agencies, teachers, children and people in those communities for helping us complete all the playgrounds as scheduled," she said.

"Breeze Vitality Ground is a spinoff from Unilever's 'Adding Vitality to Life' mission. It has already been nine years of hard work for us to initiate and run activities that enhance child development. Three years ago, our child development initiatives were further expanded to this Breeze Vitality Ground project, which is highly successful today," she said.

Despite the economic recession looming next year and some conflicts in the country, Unilever will not give up its child development project, she said.

The company plans to build 60 more playgrounds nationwide, bringing the total to 200 sites by the end of next year.

The expansion will allow more than 70,000 children around the Kingdom to enjoy fun activities at playgrounds.