XML 107 R70.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.1

Operating Costs and Non-underlying Items - Summary of Non-underlying Items Related to Gross Profit and Operating Costs (Parenthetical) (Detail) - EUR (€) € in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Non-underlying Items [Line Items] |  |  |
Credit from early settlement of contingent consideration | € 277 |  |
Gain on business disposal | 4,331 | € 309 |
Impairment of intangible asset | 208 |  |
Litigation charges | 98 | 80 |
Tax benefit recognized due to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act |  | € 578 |
New US tax rate |  | 21.00% |
Legal Cases in Relation to Investigations [Member] |  |  |
Non-underlying Items [Line Items] |  |  |
Litigation charges | 50 | € 80 |
Argentina [member] |  |  |
Non-underlying Items [Line Items] |  |  |
Foreign exchange losses resulting from remeasurement |  |  | € 18
United Kingdom [Member] | Pension obligation [member] |  |  |
Non-underlying Items [Line Items] |  |  |
Litigation charges | € 48 |  |

X
- Definition Credit from early settlement of contingent consideration Blueair. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_CreditFromEarlySettlementOfContingentConsiderationBlueair
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Foreign exchange losses resulting from remeasurement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_ForeignExchangeLossesResultingFromRemeasurement
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Gain on business disposal. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_GainOnBusinessDisposal
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Impairment of intangible asset Blueair. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetBlueair
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Litigation charges non-underlying. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_LitigationChargesNonunderlying
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition New US tax rate. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_NewUsTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition non-underlying items. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_NonUnderlyingItemsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tax cuts and jobs act of 2017 change in tax rate income tax expense benefit. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ul_TaxCutsAndJobsActOf2017ChangeInTaxRateIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | ul_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | ul_LitigationCase1Axis=ul_LegalCasesInRelationToInvestigationsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ul_CountryNameAxis=country_AR
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ul_CountryNameAxis=country_GB
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ul_RetirementBenefitPlansTypeAxis=ul_PensionObligationMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |