July 25 (Reuters) - Unilever ( UL ) on Thursday

reported worse-than-expected underlying quarterly sales after it

was unable to win back shoppers it had alienated in recent years

with higher prices.

Unilever ( UL ), which makes Dove soap and Hellmann's condiments,

reported a 3.9% rise in second-quarter underlying sales, missing

analysts' average forecast of a 4.2% increase, a

company-compiled consensus showed.

Underlying price growth for the quarter was 1%, behind

market expectations of up 1.6%.