CHICAGO – May 24, 2006 — Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leading global provider of enterprise market information solutions for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries, today announced that Unilever will leverage IRI expertise in new product launch optimization by adding to its various brand web sites in the United States the unique IRI Product Locator™, a web-based tool that helps consumers easily identify stores in their local area that carry a desired Unilever product.
In its ongoing efforts to help manufacturers improve retail performance capabilities, IRI introduced Product Locator to allow CPG manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage by creatively utilizing the internet to understand and answer the “where-to-buy” question for consumers.
Product Locator employs weekly store-level IRI InfoScan® point-of-sale (POS) data. Visitors to Unilever’s web sites simply enter the product name and the preferred zip code into the Product Locator dialog box and get an up-to-date list of retail outlets that carry the product in order of closest proximity, along with distance quantification. By providing consumers with the capability of locating new and hard-to-find items in their neighborhood stores, manufacturers like Unilever greatly benefit during the critical first 26 weeks of the product launch.
“The Product Locator demonstrates our commitment to providing excellent customer service – we’re always looking for ways to add vitality to life,” stated Linnea Johnson, director, Consumer Services, Unilever United States. “This unique service being provided on our many branded web sites will enable consumers to search and find that one, or more of the 3,000 items, Unilever has in our product portfolio. We anticipate the tool will be especially valuable for our niche items or the items in limited distribution.”
The Product Locator is being utilized on the following Unilever web sites: Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Brummel and Brown, Caress, Country Crock, Cup a Soup, Degree, Dove, Finesse, Good-Humor/Breyers, Hellmann's Homebasics, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Knorr, Lawry's, Lever 2000, Lipton Tea, Ponds, Promise, Qtips, Ragu, Recipe Secrets, Skippy, Slim Fast, Snuggle, Soup Secrets, Suave, Take Control, Thermasilk, Vaseline, Wish-Bone, Western, Wisk, and Unilever USA.
“The ‘where-to-buy’ issue can be a frustrating problem for consumers looking for a specific item,” added IRI President and Chief Executive Officer Scott W. Klein. “This unique tool leverages the comprehensive IRI InfoScan census-level database to provide a quick and easy solution for the Unilever consumer. This is an exciting business opportunity to help Unilever increase consumer satisfaction and loyalty and support their new product introduction success.”
For more information visit: Product Locator
About Unilever
Unilever (NYSE: UL, UN), one of the world's largest consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care. Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life.
In the United States these brands include recognized names such as: Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton, Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever in the United States employs more than 15,000 people in 74 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico -- generating more than $13 billion in sales in 2005. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.
About Information Resources, Inc.
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) is the world’s leading provider of enterprise market information solutions and services, empowering its clients to grow their business profitably in a complex marketplace. Driving the transformation of the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries, only IRI provides a unique combination of real-time market content, advanced analytics, enterprise performance management software, and professional services. The company’s portfolio of services, solutions, and technology enable leading retailers and their suppliers around the globe to see what they are missing, act faster with greater confidence and win at the shelf. Ninety-five percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 in CPG and retail leverage IRI to power their business. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.
Editor’s note: Specific brands and/or products listed are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies