Reckitt

Is Reckitt the same as Reckitt Benckiser?

Yes. Reckitt is the current trading name of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc. The company rebranded from RB to Reckitt in March 2021 under then-CEO Laxman Narasimhan. The legal name remains Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, and the stock ticker on the London Stock Exchange remains RKT. The rebrand was intended to simplify the corporate identity and align it with the company's purpose in health, hygiene, and nutrition.

What brands does Reckitt own?

Reckitt owns 11 Powerbrands across health, hygiene, and nutrition. Hygiene brands include Dettol, Lysol, Harpic, Vanish, Finish, and Air Wick. Health brands include Mucinex, Nurofen, Strepsils, Gaviscon, and Durex. Nutrition brands include Enfamil and Nutramigen. These brands generated £14.2 billion in net revenue in FY2025 and are sold in over 200 countries. The company divested its Essential Home business in December 2025 for £2.172 billion.

Is Reckitt publicly traded?

Yes, Reckitt Benckiser Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under ticker RKT and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The company has been publicly traded since the merger of Reckitt and Colman and Benckiser NV in 1999. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake.

Who is the CEO of Reckitt?

Kris Licht is the CEO of Reckitt. He was appointed CEO Designate in May 2023 and assumed the role in October 2023. Licht joined Reckitt in 2019 as President of the Health business and previously held senior roles at PepsiCo. Under his leadership, Reckitt has simplified its operating model, launched the Fuel for Growth cost reduction program, and divested the Essential Home business to focus on its core Powerbrands.

Where is Reckitt headquartered?

Reckitt is headquartered in Slough, England, United Kingdom. The company maintains major operations centers in the United States, China, India, and other key markets. Its manufacturing facilities are located across six countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, China, India, Mexico, and Thailand.

How many people work for Reckitt?

Reckitt employs approximately 40,000 people worldwide across its manufacturing facilities, research centers, and commercial offices. The company has a significant presence in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions.

What is Reckitt's revenue?

Reckitt reported net revenue of £14.2 billion for FY2025, with adjusted operating profit of £3.5 billion and adjusted operating margin of 24.9%. Core Reckitt like-for-like growth was 5.2%, driven by Emerging Markets growth of 14.6%. The company returned £2.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends, plus a special dividend of approximately £1.6 billion in February 2026.

What are Reckitt's largest brands?

Dettol and Lysol are the largest brands by revenue, driven by their global disinfection franchise. Mucinex is the largest health brand, driven by its US cough and cold market position. Enfamil is the largest nutrition brand, with approximately 35% US infant formula market share. Durex is the world's most widely distributed sexual wellness brand. Finish is the global leader in automatic dishwasher detergent by volume.

The Reckitt name traces back to 1840, when Isaac Reckitt founded Reckitt and Sons in Hull, England, as a starch and household chemicals business. The company expanded into household cleaning products over the following decades. In 1938, Reckitt and Sons acquired Colman's, the English mustard company, to form Reckitt and Colman. The other half of the merger, Benckiser NV, was founded in 1823 by Johann Benckiser in Pforzheim, Germany, and grew into a major European household cleaning products company.

Reckitt and Colman plc and Benckiser NV merged in December 1999 to create Reckitt Benckiser Group plc. Bart Becht, a Benckiser executive, became CEO and built the company through a series of acquisitions. In October 2005, Reckitt purchased Boots Healthcare International for £1.9 billion, adding Nurofen, Strepsils, and Clearasil. In January 2008, the company acquired Adams Respiratory Therapeutics for $2.3 billion, adding Mucinex. In July 2010, Reckitt acquired SSL International for £2.5 billion, bringing Durex and Scholl into the portfolio.

Rakesh Kapoor succeeded Becht as CEO in September 2011. Kapoor purchased Schiff Nutrition for $1.4 billion in November 2012 and spun off Indivior, the specialty pharmaceuticals business, in December 2014. The February 2017 acquisition of Mead Johnson Nutrition for $16.6 billion was the largest deal in the company's history, bringing Enfamil into the portfolio. The integration proved difficult. Mead Johnson's growth slowed, and Reckitt took a £5.2 billion impairment charge on the nutrition business in 2019.

Laxman Narasimhan became CEO in September 2019. In March 2021, the company rebranded from RB to Reckitt, introducing a new logo and visual identity. Narasimhan left in September 2022 to become CEO of Starbucks. Kris Licht, who had joined Reckitt in 2019 as President of the Health business, was appointed CEO in October 2023.

Under Licht, Reckitt simplified its operating model in 2024, consolidating from separate business units into three geographic areas: Emerging Markets, Europe, and North America. The Fuel for Growth cost reduction program was launched to reduce fixed costs. In December 2025, Reckitt completed the divestment of its Essential Home business to Lavender Bidco B.V. for £2.172 billion, narrowing the portfolio to focus on its core Powerbrands. The proceeds were returned to shareholders through a special dividend of approximately £1.6 billion paid in February 2026.

For FY2025, Reckitt reported net revenue of £14.2 billion. Core Reckitt like-for-like growth was 5.2%, with Emerging Markets growing 14.6%, Europe declining 1.4%, and North America growing 0.2%. The company returned £2.3 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends. For 2026, Reckitt guides Core Reckitt like-for-like net revenue growth of 4% to 5%.

Reckitt has committed to net zero across its value chain by 2050, with an interim target of carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2040. The company has set science-based targets verified by SBTi. In FY2025, 37.9% of net revenue came from products the company classifies as "more sustainable."

Reckitt is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and has committed to sourcing 100% RSPO-certified palm oil. Its sustainable packaging strategy targets 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2030.

Reckitt is not a Certified B Corporation. None of its major subsidiaries hold B Corp certification. On cruelty-free status, the portfolio is mixed. Durex products are not tested on animals, but some health brands may be subject to animal testing requirements in certain regulatory jurisdictions. The company does not hold Leaping Bunny or PETA cruelty-free certification at the corporate level.

Reckitt faces ongoing scrutiny over its marketing of infant formula in developing markets. The World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes restricts marketing of infant formula, and compliance with this code has been a recurring area of regulatory attention for all infant formula manufacturers, including Reckitt under the Enfamil brand.

Reckitt has faced several notable regulatory and legal matters. In 2022, the company's Mead Johnson division faced investigations in the United States related to infant formula marketing and supply practices during the formula shortage. The US House Oversight Committee examined whether manufacturers engaged in price gouging or misleading marketing. The investigation concluded without formal sanctions against Reckitt.

In 2019, Reckitt took a £5.2 billion impairment charge on the Mead Johnson nutrition business, reflecting lower-than-expected growth. The impairment was one of the largest in UK corporate history.

In 2023, Reckitt recalled certain batches of infant formula in the United Kingdom due to potential bacterial contamination. No serious illnesses were reported.

In 2020, the UK Advertising Standards Authority ruled against certain Dettol advertising claims related to COVID-19 protection. Reckitt complied with the ruling and modified its marketing materials.

In 2024, Reckitt agreed to pay $50 million to settle a US class action lawsuit alleging that Mead Johnson had violated antitrust laws by conspiring to restrict infant formula distribution. Reckitt denied the allegations but settled to avoid prolonged litigation.