Pandemic Marmite lift

UNiLeVeR was buoyed by strong demand for Marmite, hellmann’s mayonnaise and Magnum ice creams but warned the world remains ‘ volatile’ because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Anglo- Dutch consumer goods giant reported a 5.7pc spike in sales between January and March, boosted by strong demand in China and india.

But it pointed to the Covid crisis in india as it said rolling lockdowns were making the performance of the business unpredictable.

it yesterday announced it had taken on 58 doctors, 42 ambulances and 87 oxygen concentrators to help its 21,000 staff in india survive the marauding virus. Chief executive Alan Jope said: ‘india is a human tragedy.’