GST Cut 2025: HUL Slashes MRPs on Dove, Horlicks, Lux & More — Full Price List & Savings

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by

Himanshu
in ,

After the GST Council’s recent rationalisation (many everyday items moved from higher slabs to 5%), Hindustan Unilever announced a wide-ranging MRP revision effective 22 September 2025 and published revised retail prices for dozens of popular SKUs. Below is a clear, SEO-friendly, long-form breakdown you can use as a blog post: full product table (popular SKUs announced so far), category summaries, analysis of how the cuts affect value / premium positioning, and 5 FAQs.

What happened

The GST Council’s rate rationalisation – shifting many everyday personal-care and packaged-food items to a lower slab – prompted FMCG companies to update MRPs across large parts of their portfolios. Hindustan Unilever (HUL) revised retail prices on a number of its flagship SKUs (effective 22 September 2025) to pass on the GST benefit to consumers. This move covers personal-care staples, soaps, nutrition and packaged food and drinks.

📊 Full HUL SKU Price Table (old MRP → new MRP, ₹ savings and %)

CategoryProduct (Pack)Old MRP (₹)New MRP (₹)You Save (₹)You Save (%)
Personal Care – PremiumDove Shampoo – 340 ml4904355511.22%
Personal Care – MidDove Shampoo – 180 ml1651452012.12%
Soap – BeautyLux Soap – 100 g3530514.29%
Soap – Hygiene (Mass)Lifebuoy – 125 g3328515.15%
Soap – MultipackLifebuoy 75 g × 4 Pack6860811.76%
Nutrition – PremiumHorlicks – 1 kg3903504010.26%
Nutrition – Small JarHorlicks – 200 g1301102015.38%
Packaged FoodKissan Jam – 200 g90801011.11%
Beverages (Instant Coffee)Bru Coffee – 100 g1801602011.11%

(Percent saving = (Old – New) ÷ Old × 100.)

Category summary — total impact at a glance

  • Soaps & personal-care: Consistent double-digit percentage reductions (≈11–15%). Mass soaps (Lifebuoy) and beauty soaps (Lux) both show healthy percent reductions; absolute rupee savings are small for low-priced bars (₹5–₹8), but percentage impact is meaningful for consumers on tight budgets.
  • Shampoos (premium): Premium shampoos such as Dove show larger absolute rupee savings (₹20–₹55), and percent cuts (~11–12%) mirror other categories — a tangible drop in wallet pain for higher-ASP SKUs.
  • Nutrition & packaged foods: Horlicks, Kissan and other packaged food SKUs saw single-SKU savings of ₹10–₹40 (≈10–15%), which will be visible at checkout and may nudge incremental purchases.

Visual: Savings by category (quick interpretation)

  • Average percent saving across published SKUs: ~12–13% (varies SKU to SKU).
  • Absolute rupee savings: Higher for premium items (e.g., Dove 340 ml ₹55; Horlicks 1 kg ₹40). For low-ticket staples the rupee fall is small (₹5–₹10) but still relevant in bulk shopping.

Deep dive: Cheap (mass) vs Premium brands — who benefits more?

1) Absolute savings vs percentage savings
Premium SKUs (higher MRP) deliver bigger absolute ₹ savings even when percent cut is similar. Example: Dove 340 ml (₹55 saved) vs Lifebuoy single bar (₹5 saved). For consumers, this means premium buyers see larger one-time reductions on each unit purchased.

2) Basket impact
A family buying multiple low-ticket soaps, shampoos and staples each month will see compounded savings. For example, buying 10 bars of Lifebuoy at the new price saves ₹50 across the basket — comparable to one mid-size premium SKU saving. That means mass brands’ reductions can be equally meaningful in everyday household budgets.

3) Brand positioning and marketing
HUL’s public move to publish price cuts signals a consumer-facing positioning: pass-through of policy benefits rather than pocketing the GST advantage. This may help HUL protect premium brands’ volumes (premium buyers feel rewarded) while using mass brand price drops to support volume growth in value-sensitive segments.

4) Competitive dynamics
When major players pass on cuts, smaller rivals may need to follow to protect market share, especially on entry-price SKUs. Analysts expect the FMCG sector’s overall demand to get a short-to-medium-term boost as a result.

Practical examples — how much a household could save (illustrative)

  • Household A (small family): weekly basket = 1 × Dove 340 ml, 4 × Lifebuoy soap (75g), 1 × 200g Horlicks
    • Savings = Dove ₹55 + (4 × Lifebuoy single bar saving) + Horlicks 200g ₹20 → ~₹80–₹100 per week depending on pack mix.
  • Household B (value shopper): buys soaps, jam and instant coffee in bulk — smaller absolute but consistent percent benefits which add up monthly to meaningful amounts.

Compliance & practical notes (labelling, stock already in trade)

Government agencies asked companies to monitor MRPs and ensure consumers receive benefits; firms are expected to publish revised MRPs via public notices/ads and make changes on packaging/inventory or display reduced MRPs at point of sale. Retailers must reflect new prices from the effective date; unsold old-priced stock may be labelled/stickered with revised MRPs.

What this means for consumers, retailers & investors

  • Consumers: immediate relief — lower checkout bills, especially if shopping for frequently used SKUs.
  • Retailers: need to manage stock labeling, POS updates and communicate new MRPs to customers to avoid confusion. There may be small margin pressure for some SKUs if retailers don’t adjust margins/commissions.
  • Investors/analysts: generally view GST rationalisation as positive for FMCG demand and market expansion; many expect volume improvement over time even if near-term margins may shift.

Readability checklist (for publication)

  • Use the table above near the top for scannability.
  • Add small thumbnail images of the listed SKUs (optional) with ALT text including the SKU name + “new price”.
  • Add a short consumer action box: “How to check MRP in store” (look at packaging, ask retailer, check shelf labels) and “What to do if retailer charges old MRP” (ask for updated bill / report to consumer helpline).

FAQs

Q1 — When do the new HUL prices take effect?
A1 — HUL’s published revised MRPs are effective 22 September 2025 (the date companies were asked to implement GST-linked re-pricing).

Q2 — Will all HUL products get cheaper?
A2 — Not necessarily every single SKU: the announced cuts cover many everyday personal-care, soap, nutrition and packaged-food SKUs. The quantum varies by product and pack size. Expect other SKUs to be updated in waves as companies adjust packaging and POS labels.

Q3 — How much will I save on premium vs mass products?
A3 — Percent reductions are broadly in the same double-digit band (≈10–15%), but premium items yield larger absolute rupee savings (e.g., ~₹55 on a bigger Dove bottle) while mass staples yield smaller rupee savings but similar percentage relief. (See the SKU table above for examples.)

Q4 — What if a shop still charges old price after Sept 22?
A4 — Ask the retailer for the revised price/advertisement proof. If unresolved, you can report to local consumer-protection forums or the relevant state legal metrology/consumer helpline — but first confirm whether the retailer is selling old-label stock which may require relabelling or a stickered MRP.

Q5 — Will other FMCG companies follow HUL?
A5 — Many FMCG companies are already announcing or expected to announce similar pass-throughs to remain competitive and comply with regulatory guidance; the overall sector is expected to benefit from increased demand.