In 1860, the Jurgens family was introduced as part of the history of Unilever.

In 1870, the Van den Bergh family was introduced in the context of Unilever's history.

The year 1871 marked the beginning of the production of margarine, a significant development in the history of Unilever.

In 1884, William Lever and Lever & Co launched the first branded soap, a milestone in the history of Unilever.

In 1885, William Hesketh Lever and his brother, James Darcy Lever, established Lever Brothers in Britain for the production and sale of soap.

In 1886, Sunlight soap started advertising in-home, marking a new era in marketing strategies for Unilever.

In 1887, William Lever initiated the construction of Port Sunlight, a significant industrial village associated with Unilever's history.

In 1890, Lever Brothers become a limited company as sales of Sunlight soap reach nearly 40,000 tons a year. The business starts expanding into Europe, America, and British colonies.

In 1894, Lever Brothers launches Lifebuoy Soap, aimed at promoting health and hygiene. It uses carbolic acid to combat germs while remaining affordable to everyone.

In 1898, Van den Bergh launches Vitello margarine, manufactured from animal fats. Its superior quality compared to competitors leads to its success in the growing margarine market.

In 1899, Lever Brothers introduces Sunlight Flakes, later known as LUX Flakes, as a new product to make housework easier than traditional hard soap bars.

In 1902, Lever Brothers started to secure their own sources of raw materials to make soap due to the increasing demand and competitive market.

In 1904, Lever Brothers introduced Vim, one of the first scouring powders in Britain, formulated with silica as the principal abrasive ingredient.

In 1911, Lever Brothers constructed their first research laboratory at Port Sunlight, focusing on various aspects of soap production and raw material analysis.

In 1917, Lever Brothers purchased Pears Soap, a company known for its high-quality transparent soap developed by Andrew Pears in 1789.

In 1922, Lever Brothers acquired Wall's, a sausage company, and later ventured into ice cream production by selling factory-made, pre-hardened ice cream directly to customers.

In 1927, Margarine Unie was established through the merger of margarine businesses Jurgens, Van den Bergh, Centra, and Schicht, expanding the European production of oils and fats.

Unilever PLC was established on 2 September 1929 through the merger of British soap maker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie. The company is a British multinational fast-moving consumer goods company with headquarters in London.

On 2 September 1929, Margarine Unie and Lever Brothers signed an agreement to create Unilever, one of the largest industrial amalgamations in European history, officially established on 1 January 1930.

Unilever Indonesia was established in December 1933 as Lever Zeepfabrieken N.V. and had operations in Cikarang, West Java at Rungkut, East Java and North Sumatra.

In 1938, the introduction of vitamin-enriched brands like Stork and Blue Band helped increase the sales of margarine, improving public perception of the product.

During the Blitz in 1941, Lifebuoy soap offered free emergency washing services to Londoners through mobile washing facilities equipped with showers, soap, and towels.

In 1943, Unilever acquired T. J. Lipton, a majority stake in Frosted Foods (owner of the Birds Eye brand in the UK) and Batchelors Peas, one of the largest vegetables canners in the United Kingdom.

In 1944, Unilever acquired Pepsodent.

In 1954, Unilever launches Sunsilk shampoo in the UK, which later becomes a leading shampoo brand available in multiple countries. The brand has expanded globally and includes variations like Seda and Sedal.

On September 22, 1955, Unilever airs the first TV commercial in the UK for Gibbs SR toothpaste, promoting it as a revolutionary product effective in treating gum infections.

Unilever took full ownership of Frosted Foods in 1957, which it renamed Birds Eye.

The US-based Good Humor ice cream business was acquired by Unilever in 1961.

In 1967, Unilever introduces the Unilever U as its corporate logo, symbolizing the unity of the company's business divisions and reflecting its dynamic and durable character.

Unilever airs the UK's first color TV commercial in 1969, featuring Birds Eye peas. This marked a significant milestone in advertising for the company.

In 1971, Unilever acquired the British-based Lipton Ltd from Allied Suppliers.

In 1978, National Starch was acquired by Unilever for $487 million, marking the largest ever foreign-acquisition of a US company at that point.

In 1982, Unilever management decided to reposition itself from an unwieldy conglomerate to a more concentrated fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company.

In 1983, Unilever launches Axe body spray for men (known as Lynx in the UK) in France. It is the first standalone body spray on the market, available in three fragrances and packaged in distinctive black containers with silver lettering.

In 1984, Unilever acquired Brooke Bond, the maker of PG Tips tea, for £390 million in its first successful takeover.

In June 1985, Unilever's company Unipath launches Clearblue, the first home pregnancy test designed for easy and accurate home use. It offers benefits such as early detection and clear results.

In 1986, Unilever strengthened its position in the world skin care market by acquiring Ponds, the maker of Ragú, Pond's, Aqua-Net, Cutex, and Vaseline in another hostile takeover.

In 1989, Unilever bought Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Fabergé, and Elizabeth Arden, but later sold Elizabeth Arden to FFI Fragrances in 2000.

In July 1992, Unilever Ghana was established following a merger of UAC Ghana Limited and Lever Brothers Ghana Limited.

In 1993, Unilever acquired Breyers from Kraft, becoming the largest ice cream manufacturer in the United States.

In 1996, Unilever merged Elida Gibbs and Lever Brothers in its UK operations, also acquiring Helene Curtis and expanding its presence in the United States shampoo and deodorant market.

In 1997, Unilever sold its speciality chemicals division, including National Starch & Chemical, Quest, Unichema, and Crosfield, to Imperial Chemical Industries for £4.9 billion.

In 1998, Unilever established a sustainable agriculture programme.

In 2000, Unilever acquired Maille, Ben & Jerry's, SlimFast, and Bestfoods for £1.63 billion, significantly expanding its food portfolio.

In 2001, a mercury thermometer factory operated by Unilever's Indian subsidiary in Kodaikanal was shut down for dumping toxic mercury wastes. This led to environmental contamination and health issues among workers, sparking debates on corporate responsibility and negligence.

In 2002, Unilever sold its speciality oils and fats division, known as Loders Croklaan, for RM814 million (€218.5 million) to IOI Corporation, maintaining the Loders Croklaan name.

In 2003, Unilever made a strategic decision to sell off the Dalda brand in both India and Pakistan. Bunge Limited acquired the Dalda brand from Hindustan Unilever Limited for reportedly under Rs 1 billion.

On 30 March 2004, Unilever Pakistan accepted an offer of Rs. 1.33 billion for the sale of its Dalda brand and related business of edible oils and fats to the newly incorporated company Dalda Foods (Pvt.) Limited.

In 2007, Unilever partnered with Rainforest Alliance to sustainably source all its tea.

In 2009, Unilever agreed to acquire the personal care business of Sara Lee Corporation, including brands such as Radox, Badedas, and Duschdas. The acquisition was completed on 6 December 2010.

In 2010, Unilever launched the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, a blueprint for a sustainable business model. The plan includes targets to improve health and wellbeing, reduce environmental impact, and enhance livelihoods.

Unilever was fined €104 million by the European Commission in April 2011 for involvement in a price-fixing cartel for washing powder in Europe, along with other companies like Procter & Gamble and Henkel.

By 2012, Unilever's turnover exceeded €50 billion, with 14 brands each generating over €1 billion in sales annually, contributing significantly to the company's growth.

In 2013, Unilever received the prestigious Catalyst Award for its initiatives promoting gender diversity and creating opportunities for women in the workforce across different regions.

Unilever filed a lawsuit against Hampton Creek in November 2014, alleging market share seizure and false advertising of Just Mayo products. The lawsuit sparked media attention and discussions on food industry practices.

In May 2015, Unilever acquired the Italian premium ice cream maker GROM, further diversifying its product offerings.

In July 2016, rumors of salmonella contamination in cereals spread in Israel. Unilever initially did not address the issue publicly, leading to consumer concerns and product recalls.

On July 28, 2016, Unilever stopped transferring cornflakes to retailer chains due to the salmonella contamination concerns, leading to the destruction of tens of thousands of boxes of breakfast cereal.

Globes reported possible contamination sourced in pigeon faeces at Unilever's Arad plant, leading to the Health Ministry suspecting other sources. The production line was deemed automatic, minimizing the chance of human error.

Israeli Health minister suspended Unilever's manufacturing license at the Arad plant due to negligent mistakes discovered during an inspection, leading to traces of salmonella in cereals produced.

On 16 August 2016, Unilever acquired Blueair, a supplier of mobile indoor air purification technologies, expanding its presence in the air purification sector.

Unilever announced that Tehina products produced by RJM were contaminated with salmonella, adding to the series of contamination issues faced by the company.

On 16 December 2016, Unilever acquired Living Proof Inc., a hair care products business, to strengthen its presence in the hair care industry.

On February 20, 2017, Unilever purchased Sir Kensington's, a condiment maker based in New York.

On May 15, 2017, Unilever acquired the personal care and home care brands of Quala, a Latin American consumer goods company.

In October 2018, Unilever acquired a 75% stake in the Italian personal-care business Equilibra and acquired the high-end, eco-friendly laundry and household cleaning products company The Laundress.

In January 2019, Alan Jope succeeded Paul Polman as the chief executive officer of Unilever.

In November 2019, Unilever announced that Nils Andersen would be replacing Chairman Marijn Dekkers.

On June 26, 2020, Unilever announced a pause in advertising on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in the U.S. due to concerns over hate speech and misinformation, aligning with the 'Stop Hate For Profit' campaign.

In April 2021, Unilever established a new stand-alone beauty business named Elida Beauty, which will manage various well-known brands in the beauty industry.

In July 2021, Ben & Jerry's announced plans to stop sales in the 'Occupied Palestinian Territory' due to it being considered illegal under international law. This decision led to clashes between Ben & Jerry's independent board and Unilever, the parent company.

In August 2021, Florida governor Ron DeSantis added Unilever to a list of companies boycotting Israel due to its failure to prevent Ben & Jerry's from terminating business in Israeli-controlled territories.

In November 2021, Unilever agreed to sell most of its tea business to CVC Capital Partners for €4.5 billion, excluding operations in India, Indonesia, Nepal, and the Lipton Ice Tea joint-venture with PepsiCo.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Unilever temporarily suspended all imports and exports to Russia. However, its Russian wing continued to trade there, leading to criticism that the company might indirectly support Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

In June 2022, Unilever announced the sale of its Ben & Jerry's division in Israel to American Quality Products, allowing the latter to continue selling Ben & Jerry's products in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Ben & Jerry's expressed disagreement with the decision.

On 25 July 2023, Unilever's new CEO Hein Schumacher mentioned that the company had contemplated leaving Russia or selling its business due to the conflict situation. However, they decided to continue with a limited presence in Russia as the better alternative.

In March 2024, Unilever revealed plans to spin off its ice cream unit, including popular brands like Magnum and Ben & Jerry's, into a standalone business by the end of 2025 as part of a cost-saving initiative that would result in 7,500 job cuts.