Reckitt Benckiser, the personal care and cleaning product manufacturer, has achieved an 18 per cent rise in profits during 2007, successfully meeting analyst forecasts for the year.
The £905 million net profit was helped along by new products such as Strepsils, Clearasil acne cream, Vanish and Air Wick Freshmatic.
“We had an exceptional growth last year. Right now we are seeing a very normal growth like we’ve experienced many years in the past,” said chief executive Bart Becht.
The company’s 2008 targets include net revenue growth of six to seven per cent and net profit growth of 10 per cent – reduced expectations that come as further evidence of the current gloomy economic outlook.
