(Bloomberg) -- Unilever Plc joined other consumer-goods companies in benefiting from a boom in sales of everything from ice cream to cleaning products as shoppers emerge warily from lockdowns.

The Knorr bouillon-cube maker guided for a strong first half, though a more tempered end to the year. Last week larger rival Nestle SA also reported a blowout quarter and also maintained its full-year forecast nevertheless, signaling a bit of caution to investors that the rebound could peter out. Unilever shares rose as much as 3.5% Thursday morning.

Unilever is benefiting from good sales of cleaning products such as its Cif and Domestos brands. The performance of the Homecare division echoes rival Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc’s strong results in its Hygiene division.

Underlying sales rose 5.7% in the first quarter. Analysts expected 3.4% growth. Higher costs will lead to lower profitability in the first half, though Unilever expects to recover and boost its full-year margin. Sales in the first half should be around the top of its full-year guidance of 3% to 5% growth, which Chief Executive Officer Alan Jope reiterated.

The company said it will buy back as much as 3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) of shares.

Unilever saw demand for Dermalogica skin products and Murad facial treatments strengthen in the three months through March as some markets emerged from the lockdown while others were hit with new stay-at-home orders.

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