XML 142 R135.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Treasury Risk Management - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2015 EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Revolving credit facility | € 4,000,000,000 | € 0 |  | $ 7,865 | $ 6,550
Gain in cash flow hedge reserve | (236,000,000) | (168,000,000) | € (174,000,000) |  |
Finance cost | € (877,000,000) | € (563,000,000) | € (493,000,000) |  |
Average interest rate on short-term borrowings | 1.00% | 1.00% |  | 1.00% | 1.00%
Currency Risk [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Increase in commodity price percentage | 10.00% |  |  |  |
Gain in cash flow hedge reserve | € 38,000,000 | € 46,000,000 |  |  |
Decrease in commodity price percentage | 1000000000.00% |  |  |  |
Impact of change in exchange rate | 10.00% |  |  | 10.00% |
Financial assets and liabilities other than functional currency amount | € 45,000,000 | 76,000,000 |  |  |
Foreign exchange gain | € 5,000,000 | 7,000,000 |  |  |
Percentage of increase of key foreign currencies against domestic currency | 10.00% |  |  |  |
Net investment in foreign operations | € 7,300,000,000 | 7,900,000,000 |  |  |
Exchange differences on translation | 3,400,000,000 | 3,500,000,000 |  |  |
Credit exposure | 16,200,000,000 | 11,100,000,000 |  |  |
Currency Risk [Member] | United States of America, Dollars [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Net investment hedges nominal value | 3,900,000,000 | 3,500,000,000 |  |  |
Currency Risk [Member] | Switzerland, Francs [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Net investment hedges nominal value | 11,100,000,000 | (900,000,000) |  |  |
Currency Risk [Member] | 10% Strengthening Against Other Currencies [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Impact on equity - trade-related cash flow hedges | 191,000,000 | 17,000,000 |  |  |
Impact on equity - net investment hedges | 251,000,000 | 242,000,000 |  |  |
Negative retranslation effect on net investment | 1,472,000,000 | 1,008,000,000 |  |  |
Currency Risk [Member] | 10% Weakening Against Other Currencies [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Impact on equity - trade-related cash flow hedges | 210,000,000 | 19,000,000 |  |  |
Impact on equity - net investment hedges | 277,000,000 | 295,000,000 |  |  |
Positive retranslation effect on net investment | 1,619,000,000 | 1,232,000,000 |  |  |
Currency Risk [Member] | 10% Strengthening Against Sterling [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Impact on equity - trade-related cash flow hedges | 139,000,000 | 51,000,000 |  |  |
Currency Risk [Member] | 10% Weakening Against Sterling [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Impact on equity - trade-related cash flow hedges | 152,000,000 | 56,000,000 |  |  |
Commodity Price Risk [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Commodity derivatives | € 382,000,000 | 441,000,000 |  |  |
Interest Rate Risk [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of increase in floating interest rate | 1.00% |  |  | 1.00% |
Finance cost | € 41,000,000 | € 11,000,000 |  |  |
Percentage of decrease in floating interest rate |  | 1.00% |  |  |
Debit in equity from derivatives in cash flow hedge | 28,000,000 | € 1,000,000 |  |  |
Credit in equity from derivatives in cash flow hedge | € 23,000,000 | € 1,000,000 |  |  |
Interest Rate Risk [Member] | 2018 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate fixed on expected net debt | 76.00% | 71.00% |  |  |
Interest Rate Risk [Member] | 2019 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate fixed on expected net debt | 76.00% |  |  |  |
Interest Rate Risk [Member] | 2017 [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Disclosure Of Treasury Risk Management [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate fixed on expected net debt |  | 81.00% |  |  |

X
- Definition The amount of income or cost associated with interest and other financing activities of the entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 85 -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_85&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_FinanceIncomeCost
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The net gain arising from foreign exchange differences. [Refer: Foreign exchange gain (loss)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 21 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 52 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=21&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_52_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_NetForeignExchangeGain
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition A component of equity representing the accumulated portion of gain (loss) on a hedging instrument that is determined to be an effective hedge for cash flow hedges. [Refer: Cash flow hedges [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 78 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_78_e&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Note Effective 2018-01-01 -Name IFRS -Number 9 -IssueDate 2016-01-13 -Paragraph 6.5.11 -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=9&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_6.5.11&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2016-03-31 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_ReserveOfCashFlowHedges
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Commodity derivatives. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_CommodityDerivatives
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Credit in equity from derivatives in cash flow hedge. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_CreditInEquityFromDerivativesInCashFlowHedge
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Debit in equity from derivatives in cash flow hedge. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_DebitInEquityFromDerivativesInCashFlowHedge
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Decrease in commodity price percentage. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_DecreaseInCommodityPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The disclosure of treasury risk management. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_DisclosureOfTreasuryRiskManagementLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Financial assets and liabilities other than functional currency amount. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_FinancialAssetsAndLiabilitiesOtherThanFunctionalCurrencyAmount
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Financial loans denominated in foreign currency, value. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_FinancialLoansDenominatedInForeignCurrencyValue
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Financial loans included as part of Net investment in foreign operations. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_FinancialLoansIncludedAsPartOfNetInvestmentInForeignOperations
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Impact on equity net investment hedges. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_ImpactOnEquityNetInvestmentHedges
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Impact on equity trade related cash flow hedges. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_ImpactOnEquityTradeRelatedCashFlowHedges
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Increase decrease in foreign currency exchange rate. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_IncreaseDecreaseInForeignCurrencyExchangeRate
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Increase in commodity price percentage. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_IncreaseInCommodityPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Negative retranslation effect on net investment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_NegativeRetranslationEffectOnNetInvestment
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Net exposure of net investment in foreign currencies. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_NetExposureOfNetInvestmentInForeignCurrencies
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Net investment hedges nominal value. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_NetInvestmentHedgesNominalValue
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of debt fixing considering impact of interest rate swaps. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_PercentageOfDebtFixingConsideringImpactOfInterestRateSwaps
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of decrease in floating interest rate. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_PercentageOfDecreaseInFloatingInterestRate
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage of increase in floating interest rate. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_PercentageOfIncreaseInFloatingInterestRate
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of increase of key foreign currency against domestic currency. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_PercentageOfIncreaseOfKeyForeignCurrencyAgainstDomesticCurrency
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Positive retranslation effect on net investment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_PositiveRetranslationEffectOnNetInvestment
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Revolving credit facility. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_RevolvingCreditFacility
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Short term debt weighted average interest rate 1 + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate1
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfRisksAxis=ifrs-full_CurrencyRiskMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ul_CurrencyAxis=currency_USD
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ul_CurrencyAxis=currency_CHF
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ul_TenPercentageStrengtheningAgainstOtherCurrenciesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ul_TenPercentageWeakeningAgainstOtherCurrenciesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ul_TenPercentageStrengtheningAgainstSterlingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ul_TenPercentageWeakeningAgainstSterlingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfRisksAxis=ifrs-full_CommodityPriceRiskMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfRisksAxis=ifrs-full_InterestRateRiskMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_CreationDateAxis=ul_TwoThousandEighteenMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_CreationDateAxis=ul_TwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_CreationDateAxis=ul_TwoThousandSeventeenMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |