Oral health company Haleon makes push in China

Haleon is ramping up its Chinese expansion, pushing into second- ‌and third-tier cities and tailoring its gum-health products to local tastes, reports Reuters. The move aims to succeed where many Western consumer brands have struggled.

While many international brands have reported weaker sales in China this past year, Haleon, helped by strong growth in Sensodyne toothpaste, is ​doubling down with a $87 million investment in a new oral-health ⁠plant in Shanghai. CEO Brian McNamara says the goal is to take its Parodontax brand ​into more than 30 cities by the end of 2027.

“For us, China’s an incredible market,” he told ​Reuters, citing mid-teens growth for Sensodyne and an £860 million gum-health market. “Over 70% of consumers in China suffer from gum health issues,” McNamara said. “We have a product to address it. There’s a clear consumer need.”