Unilever's Acquisition Of Dollar Shave Club Offers 'Unique Consumer And Data Insights'

Unilever plc (ADR) (NYSE: UL), a major U.K.-based conglomerate that oversees approximately 400 brands across the world, paid $1 billion to acquire Dollar Shave Club, a direct-to-consumer seller of shaving razors and other healthcare products.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Unilever bought more than just a razor and healthcare company, it bought a trove of consumer data and information that can give it a strong foothold in the lucrative American market.

Related Link: Remember Dollar Shave Club? Unilever Just Bought It For $1 Billion

In fact, Unilever CEO Paul Polman has been positioning the company away from the slower growing food segment and into the home and personal-care category. Dollar Shave Club has been stealing market share away from Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE: PG)'s Gillette brand, and the trend could accelerate given Unilever's deeper pockets and greater focus on collecting and analyzing consumer data.

"We're increasingly capturing huge amounts of information about what really matters to our consumers and feeding these insights virtually and real time to our global and local marketing teams," the Wall Street Journal quoted Unilever's president of personal care as saying at an industry conference in June.

As part of the acquisition of Dollar Shave Club, Unilever will gain access to its 3.2 million members, including their spending habits. The Wall Street Journal quoted Unilever's North America president, Kees Kruythoff, as saying that this represents "unique consumer and data insights."

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