Top FMCG Companies in the UK & Their Brands

The UK’s Top Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies is one of the most competitive and dynamic industries. It encompasses a wide range of products, including food and beverages, personal care, household goods, and pharmaceuticals.

These companies operate in a fast-paced market driven by consumer demand, innovation, and sustainability trends.

Top FMCG Companies in the UK & Their Brands

The United Kingdom boasts a robust Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector featuring companies that have made significant domestic and global impacts.

Below is an overview of the top 20 FMCG companies in the UK, along with details about their flagship products:​

Unilever UK

• UK Headquarters: London, England
• Products & Brands: 
  • Food & Beverages: Hellmann’s (Mayonnaise, Sauces), Knorr (Stock cubes, soups, seasonings), Ben & Jerry’s (Ice cream), Magnum (Ice cream), Marmite (Yeast extract spread), and Lipton (Tea, iced tea).
  • Beauty & Personal Care: Dove (Soap, shampoo, deodorant), Axe/Lynx (Deodorant, body spray), Vaseline (Skincare), Simple (Skincare), Sure (Deodorant)
  • Home Care (Cleaning & Laundry): Domestos (Bleach, toilet cleaner), Surf (Laundry detergent), Comfort (Fabric conditioner), and Persil (Laundry detergent)

A global powerhouse in consumer goods, Unilever is one of the top FMCG companies in the UK. It offers diverse products, including food, beverages, cleaning agents, and personal care.​

Procter & Gamble (P&G) UK

• UK Headquarters: The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Fabric Care: Ariel, Fairy, Bold, Daz.
  • Hair Care: Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences.
  • Personal Care: Gillette, Venus, Olay, Old Spice.
  • Baby Care: Pampers.
  • Feminine Care: Always, Tampax.
  • Health & Home: Vicks, Oral-B, Braun.

Procter & Gamble (P&G) UK is a subsidiary of the multinational consumer goods company Procter & Gamble based in the United States. As one of the top FMCG companies operating in the UK, it offers a variety of well-known household and personal care brands.

British American Tobacco (BAT)

• UK Headquarters: London, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Cigarettes: Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Rothmans, Pall Mall, Benson & Hedges
  • Heated Tobacco: glo™
  • Vapes & Nicotine Pouches: Vuse (vaping), Velo (nicotine pouches)

British American Tobacco is one of the world’s largest multinational tobacco companies. It manufactures, markets, sells, and distributes cigarettes, Tobacco, and other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, in the UK.

Reckitt Benckiser Group 

• UK Headquarters: Slough, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Hygiene: Lysol (disinfectants), Dettol (antiseptic, hygiene products), Harpic (toilet cleaners), and Air Wick (air fresheners)
  • Health: Nurofen (pain relief), Gaviscon (antacid), Strepsils (throat lozenges), Mucinex (flu), and Durex (condoms, sexual wellness)

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC  is a vital FMCG company operating in the UK. It produces health, hygiene, and nutrition products.

Nestlé UK

• UK Headquarters: Gatwick, West Sussex, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Confectionery: KitKat, Aero, Smarties, Milky bar, Yorkie, Quality Street, Rolo
  • Coffee: Nescafé, Nespresso
  • Breakfast Cereals: Shreddies, Cheerios (under license from General Mills)
  • Infant Nutrition: SMA, Nestlé NAN
  • Bottled Water: Buxton, Nestlé Pure Life
  • Pet Care: Purina (Felix, Purina ONE, Gourmet)

Nestlé UK is the British subsidiary of Nestlé SA, the world’s largest food and beverage company. It has a significant presence in the UK and offers a wide range of products, including confectionery, coffee, dairy, infant nutrition, and pet care. It is a major FMCG player in the UK.

Associated British Foods

• UK Headquarters: London, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Grocery: Allinson’s (flour & bread), Jordans (cereals & granola), Ovaltine (malt drink), Patak’s (Indian sauces & spices), Twinings (tea), and Kingsmill (bread)
  • Sugar: British Sugar (Sugar)
  • Agriculture: AB Agri (Animal feed)
  • Ingredients: Bakery ingredients, yeast, enzymes, and specialty proteins
  • Retail: Primark (leading international fashion retailer)

Associated British Foods (ABF) is a British food processing and retailing company headquartered in London, UK. It operates in several key sectors, including grocery, Sugar, agriculture, and retail (notably through Primark, its fast-fashion subsidiary).

AG Barr

• UK Headquarters: Cumbernauld, Scotland
• Products & Brands:
  • Rubicon: Fruit juice-based soft drinks
  • Strathmore: Bottled water
  • Tizer: Carbonated fruit-flavoured drink
  • Funkin Cocktails: Pre-mixed and cocktail mixer brand

AG Barr plc is a UK-based FMCG soft drinks company known for producing Irn-Bru, Scotland’s iconic fizzy drink.

PepsiCo UK

• UK Headquarters: Reading, Berkshire, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Beverages: Pepsi (including Pepsi Max, Diet Pepsi), 7UP, Mountain Dew, Tropicana (fruit juices), Naked Juice (smoothies & juices), Lipton Ice Tea (joint venture with Unilever), Rockstar Energy Drink (acquired by PepsiCo in 2020), and bubly (flavoured sparkling water)
  • Snacks & Foods: Walkers (the UK’s leading crisps brand, including Walkers Sensations, Doritos, and Wotsits). Others include Quaker Oats (porridge, cereals, and oat-based snacks), Pipers Crisps (premium crisps brand), and Red Sky Snacks (healthy snacks)

PepsiCo UK is the British division of PepsiCo, a global food and beverage leader. It is responsible for manufacturing, distributing, and marketing iconic brands such as Pepsi MAX, Walker Crisp, Doritos, and Quaker Oats.

Mondelēz International UK

• UK Headquarters: Uxbridge, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Cadbury (Dairy Milk, Flake, Crunchie, Wispa, etc). Others include Oreo, Milka, BelVita, Toblerone, Ritz, and Philadelphia (cream cheese).

Mondelēz International UK is the British division of Mondelēz International, a global snack and confectionery company.  As a top FMCG leader, it produces, distributes, and sells a wide range of confectionery and snack products.

Diageo Plc

• UK Headquarters: London, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Scotch Whisky: Johnnie Walker, Talisker, Lagavulin, Oban, Cardhu, Singleton, Caol Ila, and more.
  • Gin: Gordon’s, Tanqueray, and Plymouth Gin.
  • Vodka: Smirnoff (one of the world’s best-selling vodkas), Cîroc, Ketel One
  • Beer: Guinness (brewed at St. James’s Gate, Dublin, but widely distributed in the UK), Hop House 13
  • Rum: Captain Morgan (marketed in the UK), Zacapa
  • Liqueurs: Baileys Irish Cream (produced in Ireland but heavily sold in the UK)
  • Tequila: Don Julio and Casamigos

Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverages company that owns and distributes various spirits and beers, including iconic brands like Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, and Baileys. It is one of the world’s largest producers of spirits and beers.

Kellogg’s UK

• UK Headquarters: Manchester, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Breakfast Cereals: Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosties, Coco Pops, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, Special K, and Bran Flakes.
  • Snacks & Bars: Nutri-Grain, Rice Krispies Squares, and Pringles (acquired by Kellogg’s in 2012, though recently spun off into a separate company, Kellanova, in 2023).

Kellogg’s is a well-known multinational FMCG manufacturing company. Its UK branch is Kellogg’s of Britain Ltd. The company focuses on snack brands like Pringles and Pop-Tarts, as well as the international cereal business.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

• UK Headquarters: Uxbridge, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Sparkling drinks: Coca-Cola (Classic, Zero Sugar, Diet), Fanta, Sprite, Schweppes
  • Juices & Dairy: Minute Maid, innocent
  • Water & Sports Drinks: Smartwater, Powerade
  • Ready-to-drink coffee & tea: Costa Coffee, Honest Tea
  • Energy Drinks: Monster Energy

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is one of the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottlers responsible for manufacturing, distributing, and marketing Coca-Cola and other beverage brands across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Mars UK

• UK Headquarters: Slough, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Confectionery & Snacks: M&M, Mars Bar, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Galaxy, Bounty, and Maltesers, Skittles, and Starburst
  • Petcare: Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, Sheba, and Dreamies
  • Food & Drinks: Ben’s Original and Dolmio

Mars UK is the British subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated, a global manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products.

Danone UK

• UK Headquarters: London, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Dairy & Plant-Based: Activia, Actimel, Light & Free, Alpro, Oykos, and Danone
  • Waters: Volvic and Evian
  • Specialized Nutrition: Aptamil (infant formula), Cow & Gate (baby food), and HiPP Organic (UK distribution partnership for baby food).

Danone UK is the British subsidiary of Danone, a multinational food and beverage corporation based in Paris, France. The company is known for its focus on dairy products, plant-based alternatives, waters, and specialized nutrition.

Müller UK & Ireland

• UK Headquarters: Shropshire, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Müller Milk & Ingredients: Müller Milk and the Dairy
  • Müller Yogurt & Desserts: Müller Corner, Müllerlight, Müller Rice, and Müller Bliss 

Müller UK & Ireland is a subsidiary of the German FMCG dairy giant, Müller Group, one of Europe’s leading dairy companies. It operates in the UK and Ireland, producing, marketing, and distributing various dairy products, including milk, yoghurts, butter, and flavoured milk drinks. The UK & Ireland division operates as Müller Milk & Ingredients and Müller Yogurt & Desserts, supplying a wide range of dairy products to retailers, food service providers, and manufacturers.

Heineken UK

• UK Headquarters: Edinburgh, Scotland
• Products & Brands:
  • Beers: Heineken, Foster, Birra Moretti, Kronenbourg 1664, Amstel, Strongbow, Bulmers, John Smith’s, and Newcastle Brown Ale
  • Craft & Specialty Beers: Beavertown, Brixton Brewery, and Lagunitas

Heineken UK is the British subsidiary of Heineken International, one of the world’s largest brewing companies. It is the nation’s leading beer, cider, and pub company, renowned for its diverse portfolio of brands, including Inch’s and Birra Moretti.

Premier Foods

• UK Headquarters: St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Mr Kipling (cakes & desserts)
  • Bisto (gravy & sauces)
  • Oxo (stock cubes & bouillon)
  • Sharwood’s (Asian-inspired sauces & meals)
  • Ambrosia (custard, rice pudding, and desserts)
  • Batchelors (soups, noodles, and canned foods)
  • Loyd Grossman (pasta sauces)
  • Homepride (cooking sauces)
  • Cadbury (licensed cake products, under agreement with Mondelez)

Premier Foods is a major FMCG food brand in the UK. It primarily supplies supermarkets and convenience stores across the UK, with some international exports. It is one of the UK’s largest food producers, known for many well-known grocery brands, including Mr Kipling, Ambrosia, Bird’s Custard, Angel Delight, Homepride cooking sauces, and Oxo.

​BRITVIC

• UK Headquarters: Hemel Hempstead, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Brands Owned by Britvic: Robinsons (fruit squash), Tango (carbonated soft drink), J₂O (fruit blend drink), Fruit Shoot (children’s juice drink), R White’s (lemonade), Purdey’s (natural energy drink), and Aqua Libra (infused sparkling water)
  • Licensed Brands (via PepsiCo Partnership in the UK & Ireland): Pepsi (Pepsi Max, Diet Pepsi), 7UP, Lipton Ice Tea, and Mountain Dew

BRITVIC is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and marketers of soft drinks. It produces, markets, and sells a variety of carbonated and non-carbonated drinks.

Pladis UK

• UK Headquarters: Hayes, Middlesex, England
• Products & Brands:
  • McVitie’s (Digestives, Hobnobs, Rich Tea, Jaffa Cakes)
  • Jacob’s (Crackers, Cream Crackers, Mini Cheddars)
  • Go Ahead! (Healthy snack bars)
  • Carr’s (Water biscuits)
  • TUC (Savoury crackers)

Pladis UK is a subsidiary of Yıldız Holding, a prominent Turkish conglomerate known for its global food and beverage brands. In the UK, Pladis operates some of the country’s most iconic biscuit and snack brands.

​Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I

• UK Headquarters: Oxbridge, England
• Products & Brands:
  • Lucozade Energy: A popular energy drink brand in the UK, known for its glucose-based energy boost.
  • Ribena: A blackcurrant-flavoured fruit drink, available as a cordial, ready-to-drink, and fizzy variant.
  • Orangina: A carbonated citrus drink

​Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I is a prominent UK and Ireland soft drink manufacturer. As a top FMCG company, it is renowned for iconic brands such as Lucozade Energy, Sport, Ribena, and Orangina. The company is a subsidiary of Suntory Beverage & Food Europe, which itself is part of the Japan-based Suntory Group, one of the world’s leading beverage and food companies.

Arla Foods UK 

• UK Headquarters: Leeds, England.
• Products & Brands:
  • Lurpak (butter & spreads)
  • Anchor (butter, cheese, milk)
  • Cravendale (filtered milk)
  • Arla B.O.B (low-fat milk)
  • Arla Protein (high-protein milk & yogurt)
  • Castello (premium cheese)

Arla Foods UK is a subsidiary of Arla Foods, a global dairy cooperative owned by farmers across Europe. The company offers a variety of dairy products under well-known brands such as Lurpak, Cravendale, Lactofree, and Anchor Butter.

Colgate-Palmolive

• UK Headquarters: Surrey, England.
• Products & Brands:
  • Oral Care:
    • Colgate (toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash)
    • Sensodyne (owned by GSK but distributed by Colgate-Palmolive in some regions)
    • Elmex (specialist toothpaste for enamel protection)
  • Personal Care:
    • Palmolive (shower gels, bar soaps)
    • Sanex (dermo-cosmetic skincare)
    • Protex (antibacterial soap)
  • Home Care:
    • Ajax (cleaning products)
    • Fairy (dish soap, though primarily a P&G brand, some overlap in markets)

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer goods company specializing in oral care, personal care, home care, and pet nutrition. Key products include toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, soap, deodorants, body washes, and shower gels.

L’Oréal UK

• UK Headquarters: London, England.
• Products & Brands:
  • Luxury: Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Giorgio Armani Beauty, Kiehl’s
  • Professional Products: L’Oréal Professionnel, Kérastase, Redken
  • Consumer Brands: L’Oréal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline New York, NYX Professional Makeup
  • Active Cosmetics (Dermatological Beauty): La Roche-Posay, Vichy, CeraVe

L’Oréal UK is the British subsidiary of L’Oréal Group, the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty company. It operates across various beauty segments, including cosmetics, skincare, haircare, makeup, and fragrances, offering mass-market and luxury brands. Their products are available through multiple retail channels, including boutiques, department stores, grocery stores, hair salons, pharmacies, medispas, travel retail, and e-commerce.

Other Notable Mentions

• Tate & Lyle (Ingredients, Sweeteners)
• Bakkavor Group (Fresh Prepared Foods)
• Pladis Global (McVitie’s, Godiva)
• PZ Cussons UK (Personal Care, Baby)