NATIONWIDE — It’s a good thing those Zoom meetings don’t include a smell feature. According to consumer goods company Unilever, sales of deodorant and other hygiene products are down significantly this year.

What You Need To Know

  • Sales of personal care products including deodorant down in 2020

  • Sales of ice cream products for home consumption up significantly

  • Sales of home cleaning products such as disinfectant remain strong

You can almost certainly chalk the slump up to social distancing. People aren’t going to the office or workspace as often, and they’re visiting restaurants and bars less frequently.

What they are doing is finding time to eat more ice cream at home. According to Unilever, which owns brands including Dove soap, Breyer’s ice cream and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, sales of ice cream consumed at home are up about 15 percent the first half of the year. They increased by 26 percent between April and June.

Sales of beauty and personal care products declined 0.3 percent.

“Lockdowns in our markets and reduced personal care occasions amidst restricted living, led to lower demand for skin care, deodorants and hair care, which each saw volume and price decline. The division’s largest brand Dove remained resilient, with mid-single digit growth,” the report states.

Demand for oral care products remains strong, and sales of home care products such as surface cleaners are robust as well.