P&G merges fragrance and salon division with Wella

US-headquartered FCMG group Procter & Gamble is merging its fragrance and salon hair care products activities with those of recently acquired German subsidiary Wella.

The newly formed 'Prestige and Professional Care' division will be managed by the current head of Wella Heiner Gurtler.

P&G's Hartwig Langer will head the 'Prestige Products' fragrance and beauty product subdivision. Salon hair care products will fall under the subdivision 'Professional Care', which will be led by Wella's Carsten Fischer.

The Financial Times Deutschland reported that Wella is planning to sell Emil Kiessling. The subsidiary produces own-brand products for retailers such as low-cost supermarket chain Aldi, and generates a turnover of around €80 million.

While Wella has not yet commented or released any statements concerning Emil Kiessling, several parties are understood to have expressed an interest and to be conducting due diligence enquiries.

P&G's objective is to focus on branded products as these earn higher margins than the retailers' own brands it produces.