Sales of Bertolli help Unilever's net profit

Unilever has reported a 51% rise in net profit to EUR1.2bn for the fourth quarter of 2008, boosted by the sale of its Bertolli brand for EUR630m.

 The consumer goods giant posted a 3%
increase in sales to EUR10.2bn during the period. Increases in
selling prices had outweighed a fall in sales volumes during the
economic slowdown, it said.

The company's net profit for the full
year was EUR5.3bn, on sales of EUR40.5bn.

Unilever reported increased sales
across all of the sectors it operates in during the year: savoury,
dressing and spreads (8%), ice cream and beverages (6%), personal
care (7%) and home care (10%).