Innovative packaging designed for beauty, function and sustainability
The new range launches with three premium starter kits, each featuring a durable, reusable case and a refill, available in fine fragrance-inspired scents such as Original, Violet & Tonka Bean, and Peony & Pineapple. The refill system is designed for seamless interchangeability, allowing consumers to personalise their experience across six standalone fragrances.
Dove’s new packaging has been designed not only to be refillable but also to be mindful of plastic use throughout its life span. The durable case is made from 70% recycled materials and has been tested to ensure long-lasting performance. Each refill is made using 97% plant-based packaging, derived from cornstarch-based material that contains no fossil fuels and naturally degrades over time, delivering a significantly reduced plastic footprint compared to conventional deodorants.
Chris Barron, General Manager for Unilever's Personal Care business in the UK&I, said, “Refill formats continue to be an exciting growth space within deodorants. By bringing together Dove’s 72 hour protection and signature skin care benefits in a beautifully designed refillable case, we’re expanding shopper choice within the refill category.
“This launch is exactly what we mean by Desire at Scale – creating products that shoppers don’t just reach for out of habit, but genuinely want in their baskets and in their bathrooms. With a beautiful refillable case and carefully crafted fragrances, we’ve designed this range to be both highly functional and visually desirable, guided by our R&D teams and deep consumer insight.”
A milestone moment for the refill category
Refillable deodorants have surged 45% in growth over the past year and now represent 4% of the UK deodorants market. With the strength and scale of the Dove brand, this launch is set to play an important role in driving mainstream adoption of refill solutions and supporting continued category growth.
Chris Barron added, “Our vision at Unilever is for refills to become a significant pillar of the deodorants category. This launch builds on our continued efforts to grow the Wild brand which has resonated with consumers through its natural deodorant proposition, sustainability credentials and direct to consumer engagement. Together, Dove and Wild allow us to broaden the appeal of refills and accelerate overall category growth.”
Backed by a £7.5 million nationwide marketing campaign, Dove will use its broad reach to attract new shoppers into the segment and further grow category value. Digital first activations spanning YouTube, TikTok, Meta, Pinterest and creator partnerships, plus a consumer popup and premium OOH and TV placements, will drive awareness throughout 2026.
Delivering efficacy and skincare
The Dove Refillable range provides 72-hour sweat and odour protection, powered by patented technology that delivers next generation sweat reduction technology and long-lasting antibacterial action. Each formula contains Dove’s signature skincare ingredients, is dermatologically tested and is suitable for sensitive skin.
R&D Spotlight: Designing a new format, with consumers in mind
To ensure the new Dove Refillables range worked seamlessly all shoppers, we asked the Research & Development team about the extensive consumer testing they carried out, both with people already familiar with refillable formats, as well as those using them for the first time. This helped the team understand how experienced users interacted with the new design, while also identifying and addressing barriers for first-time refill users.
Adam Limer, Personal Care Deo R&D Director, said, “One of the biggest challenges in this segment is helping shoppers understand how to use and refill the format with confidence. That’s why we built multiple clear touchpoints into the packaging – from a step-by-step leaflet inside the case, to guidance on-pack, to QR codes on both the refill and the outer packaging that link to simple instructions.
Rebecca Bell, EU Packaging Lead Deos and PC, added, “All of these features are shaped by what we heard in consumer testing, and they’re designed to remove confusion, support a smooth first use experience and make repeat purchase feel intuitive at every stage of the refill journey.”
