India's top FMCG companies showed mixed hiring trends in FY26, with Dabur and Hindustan Unilever trimming their permanent workforce even as most peers raised employee pay, according to the information shared earlier. The pattern points to a sector that is becoming leaner in some areas while still rewarding staff with higher salaries.
Hindustan Unilever's permanent employee count fell to 5,898 as of March 31, 2026, from 6,604 a year earlier, a drop of more than 700 workers. Dabur India also reduced its permanent workforce, which came down to 4,770 from 5,343 in the previous year. Both companies still gave salary hikes, but the lower headcount suggests a stronger push toward efficiency.
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Pay Hikes Across Firms
Median remuneration rose across the five major FMCG firms mentioned, with increases ranging from 6.08% to 12.1% in FY26. Tata Consumer Products posted the sharpest hike, while HUL recorded the slowest rise among the group. HUL said its average salary hike for employees other than managerial staff was 6.85%, which was higher than the year before.
Dabur also raised median pay by 7.7%, up from 6% in FY25. Nestle India, Marico and Tata Consumer Products all reported gains in employee strength during the year, showing that the industry is not moving in one direction.
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Automation Push
Experts told PTI FMCG firms are increasingly using automation in factories, warehouses and supply chain work. Digital tools, AI-based analytics, automated packaging lines and better ERP systems are helping companies produce and move goods with fewer workers. That is one reason some firms are able to cut staff while still growing operations and paying workers more.
What The Numbers Show
Nestle India's total employee count rose slightly to 8,680, while Marico increased its permanent staff to 1,983. Tata Consumer Products grew its permanent workforce to 4,558, helped by mergers of smaller businesses into the parent company. Under the Companies Act, listed firms must report median pay, pay increases and permanent headcount every year, which makes these trends visible to investors and workers alike.
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