Unilever has long been dogged by odious comparisons. As an Anglo-Dutch multinational with two boards and two stockmarket quotations it is often compared with Royal Dutch/Shell (see next story). And as a consumer-goods giant heavily into soaps and spreads, it invariably has to stand comparison with its American rival Procter & Gamble (P&G). So, with Royal Dutch/Shell having decided to abandon its dual structure, and P&G last week acquiring Gillette (for $54 billion), expectations have been rising that Unilever would follow suit.
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