We delivered 5% organic sales growth in the second quarter, which marked our 10th consecutive quarter, delivering organic sales growth either in or above our targeted range of 3% to 5%.
We delivered growth in both developed markets with 3% organic sales growth and emerging markets, which delivered 7% organic sales growth.
Our largest category, Oral Care, delivered organic sales growth of nearly 10%, with organic sales growth across toothpaste, manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes, and organic sales growth in every division.
Pet Nutrition delivered organic sales growth of 15%.
Net sales increased 9.5% in the quarter, which was our highest net sales increased in almost 10 years.
Foreign exchange was a 4.5% benefit to net sales as we lap the peak of last year's COVID-driven strength in the dollar.
In the second quarter, our gross profit margin was 60%, which was down 80 basis points year-over-year on both a GAAP basis and a base business basis.
Year-to-date, our gross margin of 60.4%, down 10 basis points.
For the second quarter, pricing was 90 basis points favorable to gross margin, less than in the first quarter as we lapped lower promotional spending in the year-ago period when many of our markets reacted to COVID restrictions by pulling back on promotional activity.
Raw materials were at 370 basis point headwind as we continue to see significant pressure from resins, fats and oils and agriculture-related costs, and many other materials.
Productivity was a 200 basis point benefit.
Our SG&A was up 100 basis points as a percent of sales for the second quarter on both a GAAP and base business basis.
This was primarily driven by an increase in logistics costs and also by a 30 basis point increase in advertising to sales.
For the second quarter on a GAAP basis, our operating profit was up 5.5% year-over-year, while it was up 2.5% on a base business basis.
Our earnings per share was up 12% on a GAAP basis and up 8% on a base business basis.
North American net sales declined 4% in the second quarter with organic sales down 4.5% and a modest benefit from foreign exchange.
Volumes were down 8.
5% in the quarter, driven by Home Care and Personal Care, which saw strong growth in the year ago period, driven by COVID-related demand.
It comes with an aluminum handle and by using our replaceable heads, consumers can use 80% less plastic compared to similarly sized Colgate toothbrushes.
Latin America net sales were up 12.5% with 8.5% organic sales growth and a 400 basis point benefit from foreign exchange.
Volume was plus 2.5% in the quarter despite a sizable negative impact due to political unrest in Colombia, our third largest market in Latin America.
Pricing was up 6% despite lapping lower promotional spending in Q2 2020 as well as some incremental pricing in the year-ago period as we look to offset foreign exchange.
Europe net sales grew 15% in the quarter.
Organic sales grew 5% driven by mid-teens growth in Oral Care, offset by declines in personal and home care as we lap COVID-related demand in the year-ago period.
Volume grew 7% in the quarter, offset by a 2% decline in pricing as we lap lower promotions in the year-ago period as store traffic declined in Q2 2020 due to COVID restrictions.
We delivered 7.5% net sales and 1% organic sales growth in Asia Pacific this quarter, with organic growth in oral care partially offset by a decline in home care.
Volume growth of 3.5% was partially offset by negative pricing as we cycled lower promotional levels in the year-ago period given COVID-related lockdowns across the region, with the biggest impact coming on our South Pacific business.
After Eurasia continued its strong performance trend in the third quarter with net sales growth of 15.5%, as we delivered strong organic sales growth throughout the division once again.
Volume grew 9.5% in the quarter, while pricing was up 3.5%.
Foreign exchange was a 2.5% benefit in the quarter.
Hill's strong growth continued in the second quarter with 18% net sales growth and 15% organic sales growth.
Both developed and emerging markets delivered 10% volume growth as our increased investment around the globe is driving this highly differentiated brands.
We still expect organic sales growth to be within our 3% to 5% long-term target range.
All in, we still expect net sales to be up 4% to 7%.
Our tax rate is now expected to be between 23% and 24% for the year on both a GAAP and base business basis.
So the overriding message I want to lead with you today is that our strategy to reaccelerate profitable growth by focusing on our core adjacencies all over the world, new channels and markets is really working, as we like to say nothing moves in a straight line, but we now have 10 straight quarters of organic sales growth at or above our long-term target range.
Year-to-date, we at the high end of the range despite difficult comparisons and continued volatility in the business.
And as I look back at my comments to you over the past 18 months that we've been dealing with the implications of COVID, there's one consistent theme that we keep coming back, managing through this crisis with an eye on the future.
So 18 months into the COVID, many of the challenges are the same, some have changed, but our approach remains we will manage through the crisis with an eye on the future, and so far we feel we've done a pretty good job.
But we have to deliver gross margin expansion to fund our brand investment, while we know -- while we now expect gross margin to be down modestly for 2021, it comes on the heels of strong gross margin expansion in 2020 and in the face of unprecedented increases in raw material prices.

Summary:
Pricing was up 6% despite lapping lower promotional spending in Q2 2020 as well as some incremental pricing in the year-ago period as we look to offset foreign exchange.
Volume grew 9.5% in the quarter, while pricing was up 3.5%.
All in, we still expect net sales to be up 4% to 7%.
Year-to-date, we at the high end of the range despite difficult comparisons and continued volatility in the business.
But we have to deliver gross margin expansion to fund our brand investment, while we know -- while we now expect gross margin to be down modestly for 2021, it comes on the heels of strong gross margin expansion in 2020 and in the face of unprecedented increases in raw material prices.