New family-size Sure ‘too big for retailers’ shelves’

Unilever has run into trouble with some retailers, following a revamp of its Sure spray-on deodorant.

Sure is rolling out a “family” 250ml size can, which will be four centimetres longer than the original. Retailers claim they will have difficulty fitting the products on most shelves.

The current 200ml bottles of Sure will be axed, but the brand will still be available in the smaller 150ml size.

An industry insider says: “Most retailers will have a problem with the bigger version of Sure because the extra four centimetres will make fitting the deodorant on the shelves more difficult. We have some refitted stores, which could well accommodate the bigger Sure, but in other stores it sure will be a problem.”

Sure’s revamp follows the &£10m overhaul of Unilever’s Lynx deodorant brand – the largest investment in the Lynx brand since it was launched 17 years ago (MW February 28).

Unilever recently promoted European brand development director for laundry Sebastian Lazell to global brand director for the Sure brand. This was part of the company’s move to sharpen its focus on individual brands.

Meanwhile, rival Beiersdorf-owned Nivea is set to launch what it claims to be the world’s smallest deodorant, a mini-Nivea that will be the size of a lipstick (MW February 7).