An aqueous dispersion comprising 1 to 100% by weight, calculated with respect to the weight of titanium dioxide particles, of at least one non-ionic surfactant having a HLB value in the range from 7 to 20 and hydrophobic particles of titanium dioxide wherein the mean length of the primary particles is in the range from 50 to 90 nm, the mean width of the primary particles is in the range from 5 to 20 nm, and the median particle volume diameter of the secondary particles is less than 45 nm.