Consumer Trends 26 March 2026 - 30 March 2026

Unilever Price Hikes Are Coming After Dove Maker Flags War-Driven Cost Shock
····

Unilever Price Hikes Are Coming After Dove Maker Flags War-Driven Cost Shock

Unilever PLC plans to implement targeted price increases after costs linked to the Iran war climbed more than anticipated. Still, robust demand for Dove, Vaseline, and home-care lines pushed the company past first-quarter sales projections. The timing’s key: big consumer-goods players are once again probing how much price pressure shoppers can handle after a two-year stretch where plenty of families switched to cheaper alternatives. Unilever finance chief Srinivas Phatak said expected cost inflation for the full year will hit €750 million to €900 million—running €350 million to €500 million above what the company forecast at the year’s open.
May 1, 2026
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Says EV Loan Demand Soars 161% as Fuel Crunch Drives Buyers Electric
···

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Says EV Loan Demand Soars 161% as Fuel Crunch Drives Buyers Electric

Commonwealth Bank of Australia flagged a sharp 161.5% jump in battery electric vehicle loan demand for March, compared to February’s weekly average. Higher fuel prices and jitters over supply seem to be nudging Australians toward EVs. The lender’s car-buying portal inquiries leapt 136% in March, with EV loan page visits up 75%. Applications from businesses for Tesla vehicles soared—up 268% from a year ago. “The surge in interest we’ve seen in March is very significant,” said Tim Burdon, CommBank’s product owner for car buying and lending. Canberra’s decision on Monday to slash the fuel excise in half for three months comes right after Brent crude posted its steepest monthly jump ever. Diesel prices in Australia have pushed past A$3 a
March 30, 2026
Tesco PLC Stock Price Falls as Consumer Confidence Slumps Before April Results
···

Tesco PLC Stock Price Falls as Consumer Confidence Slumps Before April Results

Tesco Plc ended Thursday’s session off 1.6% at 455.1 pence, after a British Retail Consortium survey pointed to household sentiment sinking to levels not seen since March 2024. Chief executive Helen Dickinson didn’t mince words, describing the mood: “consumer confidence collapsed.” The clock is ticking: Tesco will release its preliminary 2025/26 results on April 16. Analysts, according to company consensus, are looking for adjusted operating profit—Tesco’s chosen yardstick for core earnings—at 3.096 billion pounds.
March 26, 2026