Ailing Unilever pledges boost to adspend.(Unilever Group)(Brief Article)

Unilever is expected to announce a marked increase in its marketing spend after unveiling a poor set of financial results this week.

The consumer goods giant, already the biggest advertiser in the UK, has announced a 3 per cent fall in turnover and a 2 per cent slump in pre-tax profits for the third quarter of the year to EUR1.32 billion. Underlying sales slipped 1.3 per cent, with a particularly poor result in Western Europe.

Significant declines were recorded in the ice-cream and ready-to-drink tea categories, and sales slumped in the Home and Personal Care sector in weaker markets.

Patrick Cescau and Antony Burgmans, the chairmen of Unilever, …