Atkins diet slims Unilever sales

Change in U.S. dieting habits hurt Slim.Fast foods

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AMSTERDAM, July 30 — Unilever, which had hedged its bets by selling both fatty ice creams and Slim.Fast dieting products, said on Wednesday the Atkins diet of crusading cardiologist Robert Atkins has eaten into revenues.

ANTHONY BURGMANS, DUTCH co-chairman of the food-to-detergents group, said U.S. sales of its low-fat Slim.Fast foods had disappointed in the first half of the year.

“That is because of a change in dieting behaviour in the U.S... because of the Dr. Atkins diet which has a different basis than Slim.Fast,” Burgmans told Reuters.

Atkins, who died in April this year aged 72, launched a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet plan in the 1970s.

The diet, ridiculed for 30 years as against orthodox medical opinion, has turned into a hot trend with media reports saying celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were among those following the eating plan.

But Unilever is striking back. The maker of Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum ice cream has now launched Slim.Fast ice cream.

“I believe that will be very attractive,” Burgmans said, adding the group would offer Slim.Fast pastas too.

Slim.fast sales in the second half are seen “much better” than in the first, he said.