- Colgate-Palmolive India targets oral-care growth through grassroots awareness programs
- India's toothpaste and toothbrush consumption lags behind countries like the Philippines
- Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program reached 1.2 million children in 40,000 schools
India's oral-care market remains significantly underpenetrated, leaving considerable room for growth in toothpaste and toothbrush consumption. Colgate-Palmolive India is seeking to tap this opportunity through a grassroots approach that combines oral-care awareness with on-ground programmes.
The company said consumption patterns in India remain below those of several other markets. Urban India's toothpaste consumption is around 0.7 times that of the Philippines, while rural India is at about 0.5 times. Toothbrush replacement is also less frequent, with the average Indian replacing a toothbrush every nine months, compared with six months in the Philippines and the three months recommended by dentists, according to the release.
Colgate-Palmolive India, under Managing Director and CEO Prabha Narasimhan, is focusing on building oral-care habits at the grassroots level rather than relying solely on conventional marketing, the company said.
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A key part of this approach is its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) programme, which has been running for more than four decades. The initiative works with eight state governments and, over the past year, reached around 40,000 government schools and 1.2 million children, according to the company.
The programme includes live demonstrations and provides children with toothbrushes, toothpaste and a brushing calendar to track their habits at home. In more than 1,200 schools, Colgate has also painted wall murals promoting the importance of brushing twice a day.
Colgate also sees its extensive retail network as an advantage in expanding oral-care consumption. The company reaches around 7.1 million outlets across India, about three times the size of its closest competitor, according to the release.
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Notably, in the quarter ended June 2026, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. had reported a steady set of June-quarter earnings, with revenue surpassing Street estimates as strong demand for its oral care portfolio helped offset margin pressure from a volatile input cost environment.
The FMCG major posted a 7% year-on-year increase in net profit to Rs 343 crore, broadly in line with analysts' expectations of Rs 344 crore. Revenue rose 11.8% to Rs 1,603 crore, comfortably beating the Street estimate of Rs 1,565 crore.
On Thursday, the company's shares settled 1.13% higher at Rs 1,900.8 apiece, as compared to a 0.64% climb in the benchmark Nifty 50.
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