July 25 (Reuters) - Nestle reported half-year

sales growth below analysts' forecasts on Thursday and lowered

its full-year organic sales growth guidance to at least 3% from

about 4% previously.

The world's biggest packaged food company managed to

increase its volumes amid worries that price hikes would

alienate shoppers.

The Swiss company expects pricing to come down faster than

expected, prompting it to change its outlook.

Nestle's organic sales rose 2.1% in the first half of 2024,

below the average estimate of 2.5% growth in a company-provided

consensus.

Its underlying trading operating profit was 7.8 billion

Swiss francs ($8.84 billion), coming in line with the 7.81

billion francs seen in the company-provided consensus of 20

analysts.

($1 = 0.8828 Swiss francs)