It marks the second successive year of double-digit profit growth for the No.1 player in Australia's toothpaste market and for the maker of a range of washing powder brands and cleaning products including Fab, Cold Power, Dynamo and Ajax Spray n' Wipe.

But directors of the Australian operations are expecting even better results this year, with demand for the company's products growing and cost-saving and process improvement programs continuing to bite.

The strong rise in profits comes at a time when suppliers in a number of other grocery categories are increasingly bemoaning the market power held by Woolworths and Coles, which has given rise to codes of conduct and supplier charters.

The latest financial statements of Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd in Australia were lodged with the corporate regulator two weeks ago and show that net profit after tax for the 12 months ended December 31, 2013 was $83.2 million. This compared with a net profit after tax of $72.2 million in calendar 2012.

Colgate-Palmolive Australia made a net profit after tax of $63.5 million in calendar 2011.

The latest financial accounts show Colgate-Palmolive runs a highly efficient business in Australia with strong profit margins.

Revenue from continuing operations was $508.7 million for calendar 2013, up from $495.2 million a year earlier.

Colgate-Palmolive in Australia is headed by Chris Pedersen, the vice-president and general manager of the group's South Pacific operations. Colgate-Palmolive's directors in Australia also include John Steel, Fali Umrigar and Keith Crane.

"The directors expect the company's future operating results to improve," they said in an outline of the expected future results.

"Demand for its products is growing."

Industry analysts estimate that Colgate-Palmolive has a 60 per cent share of the toothpaste market in Australia.

The company also sells a range of pet food products under the Hill's banner. Some of the other brands in its cleaning products portfolio include fabric softeners Cuddly and Fluffy, deodorant brand Speed Stick and Palmolive shaving cream.

Profit before income tax for the group in calendar 2013 was $115.1 million, compared with $103.4 million a year earlier.

The accounts also showed that the Australian operations paid a sizeable $111 million dividend to the parent company in 2013, after not paying any dividend in 2012.

The Australian operations are a part of the Colgate-Palmolive conglomerate, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange in the United States.

Troy Williams, the chief executive officer of the Australian Dental Industry Association, the peak industry body which oversees the interests of manufacturers and suppliers of dental products, said the over-the-counter consumer goods market for dental products was showing solid growth.

"It is the most stable sector of the market," Mr Williams said.

Toothpaste, dental floss and toothbrushes were a staple of household purchases, but there had been some extra growth in specialist consumer product areas like tooth whitening.

"It is something that didn't really exist 10 years ago," he said.

The latest available industry statistics showed the over-the-counter consumer goods market grew by 3.8 per cent for 2012-13 for dental products.

The total market, which also included products supplied to dentists, was estimated to be worth $1.5 billion in 2012-13 in the Australian Dental Industry Intelligence Report.