Brands
ITC to acquire J&J’s Savlon, Shower To Shower; expand FMCG portfolio
KOLKATA: Kolkata-headquartered cigarettes-to-hotels conglomerate ITC has entered into an agreement with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to acquire Savlon and Shower To Shower trademarks and other intellectual property (IP) primarily for use in India in order to expand its FMCG portfolio.
Savlon is an antiseptic brand while Shower To Shower is a personal care product brand.
It should be noted that this acquisition, which will be ITC’s first purchase in the personal care segment, is in line with the company’s growing focus on its non-cigarette FMCG business.
“The company has entered into asset purchase agreements with Johnson & Johnson, India & Johnson & Johnson, Singapore on 12 February for purchase of Savlon and Shower To Shower trademarks and other intellectual property, respectively, primarily for use in India,” ITC said in a BSE filing.
These agreements are subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory permissions as may be necessary, the filing further reveals.
A senior official on the condition of anonymity said that the company has used inorganic route to expand and strengthen its business earlier. “We acquired juice brand B Natural for our entry into fruit beverages market,” he said.
When being asked to comment on the revenues ITC is looking at, he said that the current acquisition is in line with ITC’s aim for a revenue of approximately Rs 1,00,000 crore from the new FMCG businesses alone by the end of year 2030.
ITC had acquired Bangalore-based Balan Natural Food’s B Natural brand last year to strengthen its portfolio.
When asked to comment, ITC declined to divulge the size of the deal for purchasing the two brands from Johnson & Johnson.
However when some analysts tracking FMCG firms were contacted to comment on the probabilities of the deal, they assume that the size of the current acquisition would be small compared to ITC’s total size of the business.
After this acquisition, the company’s topline in FMCG segment may go up by a small amount of about one per cent, said a Kolkata based analyst.
ITC’s non-cigarette FMCG revenue stood at around Rs 8,122 crore during the financial year 2013-14.
Brands
International Women’s Day ’26: Peace, freedom and self-expression drive Gen Z women, Newme survey finds
Solo travel and self-expression are rising among young women in India
INDIA: Ahead of International Women’s Day, fast-growing fashion brand Newme released a nationwide survey revealing how gen z women across India are redefining ambition, independence and happiness.
Titled The Confidence Edit, the study draws on responses from more than 1,000 young women and paints a portrait of a generation quietly reshaping traditional expectations, choosing balance over burnout, independence over approval and self-expression over conformity.
“One clear takeaway is that this generation is ambitious but also deeply self-aware,” said Newme co-founder Vinod Naik. “Women today are not simply following old definitions of success, they are rewriting them in ways that feel more personal and authentic.”
Peace over perfection
One of the survey’s most striking insights is a shift in how success is defined. Nearly one in four respondents said they prioritise peace over perfection, suggesting a move away from hustle-driven notions of achievement. For many young women, success now means building a life that feels balanced, sustainable and self-directed rather than constantly chasing milestones.
Independence beyond money
Independence remains central to gen z aspirations, but respondents increasingly view it as multidimensional. Around 86 per cent said they want to be both financially and emotionally independent, signalling a generation unwilling to trade personal freedom for stability or the other way around.
Decision-making is also becoming more individual. While many respondents said they consult family members on major life choices, fewer than one in five said their family alone has the final say.
Solo travel gains ground
Mobility and personal freedom are also becoming more mainstream. More than 70 per cent of respondents said they are comfortable travelling solo, either spontaneously or with advance planning.
Safety remains the biggest concern, ranking ahead of budget or family reactions. Yet the findings suggest that solo travel is increasingly seen not as a bold act but as a practical extension of independence.
Fashion as self-expression
The survey also highlights a changing relationship between confidence and personal style. Nearly 70 per cent said they would dress the same even if nobody could see them, indicating that fashion is becoming less about external approval and more about self-expression.
At the same time, almost 90 per cent said they feel comfortable expressing themselves publicly, through clothing, opinions or lifestyle choices, pointing to a generation that is confident about how it presents itself to the world.
Confidence grows, pressure remains
Despite rising confidence levels, emotional pressures persist. Nearly 40 per cent of respondents said they feel guilty about not meeting expectations, by far the most common source of guilt.
Many also cited difficulties such as asking for what they want, saying no, or dealing with being misunderstood, highlighting the complex emotional negotiations that often accompany independence.
Finding joy in everyday moments
When it comes to happiness, the survey suggests that everyday pleasures matter more than big milestones. About 43.3 per cent of respondents said simple acts such as treating themselves bring the most joy, followed by learning something new at work and spending time with friends.
Founded in 2022, Newme targets more than 500 million gen z consumers across India and Southeast Asia, positioning itself as a technology-driven fashion brand built around self-expression and rapidly changing youth trends.
