Reckitt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC

Reckitt's logo since 23 March 2021
Trade name	Reckitt
Type	Public
Traded as	LSE: RKT FTSE 100 Component
ISIN	ISIN: [https://isin.toolforge.org/?language=en&isin=GB00B24CGK77 GB00B24CGK77]
Industry	Consumer goods
Founded	1814; 211 years ago (1814) (J&J Colman) 1823; 202 years ago (1823) (Benckiser) 1840; 185 years ago (1840) (Reckitt & Sons) 1938; 87 years ago (1938) (merger of Reckitt & Sons and J&J Colman) 1999; 26 years ago (1999) (merger of Reckitt & Colman and Benckiser)
Founders	Isaac Reckitt (Reckitt & Sons branch) Jeremiah Colman (J&J Colman branch) Johann Benckiser (Benckiser N.V. branch) Edward Mead Johnson (Mead Johnson branch)
Headquarters	Slough, England
Key people	Christopher A. Sinclair (Chairman) Kris Licht (CEO)
Products	Cleaning agents skin care personal care nutrition consumer healthcare
Revenue	£14,607 million (2023)
Operating income	£2,531 million (2023)
Net income	£1,657 million (2023)
Number of employees	40,000 (2024)
Subsidiaries	Mead Johnson UpSpring

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, often called just Reckitt, is a big company from Britain. It makes many everyday products for your health, hygiene, and nutrition. You can find their products in homes all over the world. The company was created in March 1999 when two companies, Reckitt & Colman plc from Britain and Benckiser N.V. from the Netherlands, joined together.

Reckitt makes many well-known brands. These include the antiseptic Dettol, pain relief like Disprin, and Strepsils for sore throats. They also make Veet for hair removal, Airborne for immune support, and Mortein insecticide. For tummy troubles, there's Gaviscon, and for babies, Mead Johnson food. Other popular brands are Air Wick air fresheners, Calgon, Clearasil, Cillit Bang, Lysol, and Vanish.

Reckitt's Journey: How It Started

Early Beginnings of Reckitt's Founders

Stoke Holy Cross Mill, in Norwich, England, was home to Colman's mustard from 1814 to 1862.

Historical logos

First logo, used from 1999 to 2009

Second logo, circa 2009 to 2014

Third logo, used from 2014 to 2021

The story of Reckitt begins with several different companies. One part started in Germany in 1823 with Johann Benckiser. His business first made industrial chemicals. Later, Ludwig Reimann took over and moved the chemical plant. Under Reimann's family, the business grew a lot. They bought a beauty products company called Coty, Inc. in 1992. Benckiser also made products like Vanish and Cillit Bang.

Another part of the company, Reckitt & Sons, began in England in 1840. Isaac Reckitt started by renting a starch mill. His business grew to include other household products. After he passed away, his three sons continued the business. Reckitt opened its first international office in Australia in 1886. They also bought Harpic Lavatory Cleaners in 1932 and launched Dettol that same year.

In 1938, Reckitt & Sons joined with J. & J. Colman. Colman's had started in 1814, making flour and mustard. The combined company, Reckitt & Colman Ltd., bought many other brands over the years. These included Airwick, Carpet Fresh, and the company that made Lysol disinfectant.

However, Reckitt & Colman also sold off some parts of its business. For example, they sold their fine arts products (like Winsor & Newton) and their food businesses, including Colman's mustard in the UK and Robinsons soft drinks.

Reckitt Today: From 1999 Onwards

The company we know today was officially formed in December 1999. This happened when Britain's Reckitt & Colman plc and the Dutch company Benckiser NV merged. Bart Becht became the CEO and helped the new company focus on its main brands. He also made the way they made and delivered products much better. This new approach helped the company succeed.

In 2005, Reckitt bought the over-the-counter medicine business from Boots. This added popular brands like Nurofen (for pain), Strepsils (for sore throats), and Clearasil (for acne) to their family of products. Later, in 2008, they bought Adams Respiratory Therapeutics, adding Mucinex to their health products. In 2010, Reckitt also acquired SSL International, which included Scholl's footcare products.

In 2011, Bart Becht retired as CEO. Rakesh Kapoor, who had been a key part of the company's growth, took over as the new CEO.

In 2012, Reckitt bought Schiff Nutrition, a company that makes vitamins and supplements. This added brands like Airborne and Move Free. In 2014, Reckitt changed its name from "Reckitt Benckiser" to simply "RB." The CEO, Rakesh Kapoor, said the old name was "a bit of a mouthful" and the shorter name would be easier.

In 2017, Reckitt bought Mead Johnson, a big company that makes baby formula. After this, Reckitt divided its business into two main parts: consumer healthcare (like medicines) and home and hygiene (like cleaning products). Later that year, Reckitt sold its food brands, including French's Mustard and Frank's RedHot.

In 2019, Laxman Narasimhan became the new CEO. He worked to improve the company after some challenges. In March 2021, the company changed its brand again, from RB back to Reckitt, with a new logo. In 2022, Narasimhan decided to leave, and Nicandro Durante became the temporary CEO.

How Reckitt Works Around the World

Reckitt's main office is in Slough, England. But the company has offices and operations in about 60 countries! Its products are sold in almost 200 countries. Reckitt groups most of its products into three main areas: health, hygiene, and home. They also have a few other brands in food and medicines. The company focuses on its 19 most popular brands, which bring in most of its money.

Popular Reckitt Brands (Powerbrands)

Other Reckitt Brands You Might Know

Reckitt's Leadership and Values

Who Leads Reckitt?

Reckitt is led by a team of directors and an executive committee. These groups make important decisions about the company's direction. For example, Christopher Sinclair is the Chairman, and Kris Licht is the CEO.

Reckitt's Good Deeds

Reckitt supports important causes, like Save the Children, which helps children in need around the world. The company also has a plan called Carbon 20. This plan aims to lower the carbon footprint of its products by 20% by the year 2020. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases released by something. As part of this plan, they have reduced the amount of plastic in the packaging of their Vanish cleaner by 70%.

Working Towards Clearer Products

In 2009, a group called Earthjustice filed a lawsuit against Reckitt and other companies. They wanted these companies to share all the ingredients used in their products. Earthjustice believed that a 1971 law required companies to tell the public what was in their products and any health studies related to them. Even though Earthjustice didn't win that specific case, they kept working on the issue. Because of their efforts, New York State later made new rules in 2018. These rules now require cleaning product makers to publicly list their ingredients.

Images for kids

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  Glass Plus glass cleaner

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  Lysol multi-surface cleaner

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  Strepsils throat lozenges

See also

In Spanish: Reckitt Benckiser para niños