This archive report was first published on 25 June 2020.
Published on June 25, 2020, Unilever's decision comes as the global beauty industry faces increasing scrutiny over its skin-lightening products.
The company, which reportedly generated $500 million in revenue from the product in India last year, will stop using the word 'Fair' in the name.
India's obsession with fair skin is deeply entrenched, with lighter tones often associated with higher social class within the country's complex caste hierarchy.
"We are making our skin care portfolio more inclusive and want to lead the celebration of a more diverse portrayal of beauty," said Sanjiv Mehta, head of Hindustan Unilever, in a statement.
Several companies, including French cosmetics giant L'Oreal, have faced criticism for their skin-lightening products following the global rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Johnson & Johnson recently announced it would stop selling some Neutrogena and Clean & Clear products, advertised as dark-spot reducers in Asia and the Middle East.
Major Bollywood stars, such as Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, have long endorsed skin-lightening creams in India.
