Colgate Acquires Sanex Personal Care Brand in Europe

NEW YORK (Business Wire) -- Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL), as part of its strategy to focus on its higher-margin oral care, personal care and pet nutrition businesses, today announced that it has agreed to purchase the Sanex personal care brand from Unilever PLC for €672 million (approximately US$940 million).

Sanex is a premium-priced personal care brand with a distinct positioning around healthy skin and strong market share positions in Europe. This strategic acquisition will greatly strengthen Colgate's important personal care business in Europe.

Sanex is a multi-category personal care brand with 2010 net sales of
€187 million (approximately US$260 million), primarily in Western
Europe. Liquid body cleansing and deodorants each represent nearly 50% of the business.

Ian Cook, Colgate's Chairman, President and CEO commented, "Sanex is a
very strong brand that we have admired for a long time. We are delighted
that this acquisition will strengthen Colgate's positions in the shower gel and deodorant categories in several key countries in Europe and our overall personal care business in that region.

"Sanex's unique positioning around skin health is a terrific complement
to Palmolive's natural extracts and skin care positioning, as well as to
our Protex brand which focuses on antibacterial protection for skin."

In connection with the Sanex acquisition, Colgate has agreed to sell its
laundry detergent business in Colombia to Unilever for $215 million.

Mr. Cook continued, "The Sanex acquisition and the divestment of our
detergent business in Colombia are both consistent with Colgate's
ongoing strategy to de-emphasize non-core portions of our portfolio
while focusing on our high-margin, strategically important oral care,
personal care and pet nutrition businesses."

About Colgate-Palmolive: Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer
products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care
and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and d under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom's of Maine, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate's global business, visit the Company's web site.