FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Thursday said it will remove the word ''Fair'' from its popular skincare brand ''Fair & Lovely''

New Delhi: FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Thursday said it will remove the word ''Fair'' from its popular skincare brand ''Fair & Lovely'', as part of a rebranding exercise in the wake of growing voices against racial stereotypes.

The company said its other skincare portfolio will also adopt a new holistic vision towards beauty that cares for everyone and celebrates all skin colours.

Fair & Lovely cream"Taking forward the brand''s journey towards a more inclusive vision of beauty, the company will stop using the word ''Fair’ in the brand name ‘Fair & Lovely’. The new name is awaiting regulatory approvals and we expect to change the name in the next few months,” Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) said in a statement.

As part of the rebranding, the company will also be announcing the new name for the ''Fair & Lovely'' Foundation, set up in 2003 to offer scholarships to women to help them pursue their education.

The company said it will continue to evolve its advertising, to feature women of different skin tones, representative of the variety of beauty across India.

Hindustan Unilever"The brand’s vision is to adopt a holistic approach to beauty that cares for people that must be inclusive and diverse - for everyone, everywhere. The brand is committed to celebrating all skin tones,” it said.

As part of this decision, the Fair & Lovely brand name will be changed in the next few months."

Several FMCG companies are concerned about their brands after ''Black Lives Matter’ protests across the globe. Recently, the US healthcare and FMCG giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has stopped the sale of its skin-whitening creams globally, including India.