Beiersdorf has reported a 2.8 percent uplift in organic group sales for the first half of the year to €3.358 billion. Nominal sales were down 1.3 percent due to negative exchange rate effects.

“Beiersdorf is continuing on its profitable growth path,” said CEO Stefan F Heidenreich. “Once again we were able to increase sales and profits, gaining market shares and defying a challenging market environment. The current economic and political developments across the world have increased both overall consumer uncertainty and competitive pressure. Being successful in such an environment is not a given. Beiersdorf continues to concentrate on its core strengths: its brands, its innovation capacity and expanding its presence in emerging markets. Overall, we are cautiously optimistic about the full year.”

Europe, the Nivea manufacturer’s largest market, was also its biggest success story for the six months to June 30, with a nominal rise in sales of 0.4 percent and a 3.2 percent in organic terms. Africa, Asia and Australia put on 2.6 percent in organic terms (-1.7 on a nominal basis), while the Americas grew 2 percent organically (-5.6 percent nominal).