Santoor Surpasses Lifebuoy: Becomes India’s Top Soap Brand with ₹2,850 Crore Sales

A major shake-up has occurred in India’s soap market. Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting (WCCL) has claimed that its flagship soap brand Santoor has now overtaken Hindustan Unilever’s Lifebuoy to become the country’s number one soap.

Record-Breaking Revenue

According to WCCL, Santoor generated ₹2,850 crore in revenue in 2025, surpassing Lifebuoy, while Lux holds the third position. Although companies are not required to disclose individual brand revenues, WCCL has expressed strong confidence in its lead.

Market Share Data

An AC Nielsen report for January to November indicates that Santoor held an 8.7% market share, while Lifebuoy had 12.1% and Lux 12.2%. Despite these figures, WCCL CEO Vineet Agrawal highlighted that these numbers may underrepresent Santoor’s performance in rural markets, where the brand is particularly strong. He noted that Santoor sees its highest sales in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, regions that may not be fully captured in Nielsen’s panel.

WCCL vs. Hindustan Unilever

Agrawal emphasized, “There is a significant difference between us and Lifebuoy. Santoor has built strong trust in rural India, which AC Nielsen’s panel does not fully reflect.”

Hindustan Unilever, however, responded cautiously. A company spokesperson stated, “We analyze competition through multiple data sources, including company-published results and Nielsen and Kantar data. We do not share individual brand market shares publicly and are currently in a closed period.”

This development marks a notable shift in India’s soap industry, highlighting the growing importance of rural markets and brand loyalty outside urban centers.