Asia Pacific

The cooking ingredients and meals market in Kazakhstan has almost fully recovered from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, inflation in the country slowed and prices declined in a number of categories compared to 2022, including…

Consumers continued to dine out more often in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis in 2023 as the return to busy lifestyles left them with limited time to cook from scratch at home and drove down in-home consumption. However, consumers continued to…

The cooking ingredients and meals industry in Pakistan is navigating a challenging landscape shaped by inflationary pressures. As inflation rises, consumers are becoming increasingly price-sensitive, prompting a shift towards more cost-effective…

Cooking ingredients and meals has almost completely recovered from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023. At the same time, it is being affected by geopolitical changes in the region caused by the war in Ukraine. In 2023, inflation in…

The resumption of daily routines as the country emerges out of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has sparked spending on both personal and commercial credit cards. In 2023, the number of commercial credit cards in circulation is rebounding, following…

Thai consumers have been spending more on credit cards in 2023 in line with an increase in the consumer confidence index and a marked improvement in the Thai economy. Expenditure on various products and services, including shopping, restaurants,…

According to the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the Q1 2023 growth rate in credit cards, the highest since the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, reflects local consumers’ resurgence in terms of shopping,…

Wider acceptance is boosting the use of personal debit cards in Malaysia. The rising popularity of personal debit cards underpins the growth in the number of cards and volume and value transactions. The increased numbers of POS terminals is widening…

The adoption of digital payments in Thailand is growing, backed by the central bank policy to shift towards a less cash-reliant society which is free of charge transactions. The banking industry has launched cardless withdrawals to bring greater…

Debit cards in the Philippines have largely been known and treated as ATM cards only. Prior to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the use of debit cards was primarily for making cash withdrawals. This was because most people were either unaware…

In 2023, sunflower oil is witnessing moderate growth in retail volume terms compared to 2022 as unit prices fall. By some distance, it is the largest type of edible oil and is traditionally the cheapest oil per unit in Azerbaijan. The decrease in…

Sunflower oil dominates edible oils and consequently determines the overall market performance. Following price increases for sunflower oil in 2022 due to a rise in the cost of raw materials and logistics, prices declined in 2023 in the global…

Olive oil saw retail volume sales decline in 2023 at the same time as witnessing current value growth as unit prices continued to rise significantly. Most of the brands operating in the category, including Bertolli, Colavita, Naturel, and Filippo…

Consumers in Pakistan are gradually shifting towards premium and branded edible oils. This trend is driven by the perception of higher quality and safety associated with branded products. Premium oils, such as extra virgin olive oil, are becoming…

On aggregate, edible oils continued to record strong growth in Uzbekistan during 2023, despite the turmoil that has been seen in edible oils at regional and global levels, and the threat of inflation that has put pressure on spending power at local…

Financial cards and payments in Malaysia in 2023 exhibited significant continuation with 2022 in terms of the direction of travel in the post-Coronavirus (COVID-19) period. The strong moves towards a cashless society in Malaysia, pushed by the…

In 2023, the Thai economy is witnessing an economic recovery following the harsh impact of the pandemic and consumer confidence is on the rise. Private consumption is gathering momentum aided by the government program “Shop Dee Mee Kuen” (Shopping…

While the initial surge in spending and reopening of the economy, with the easing of the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and lifting of related restrictions, has started to stabilise, the Philippines continues to experience robust growth in both…

In 2023, the ready meals category is showing growth in both retail volume and current value terms, mirroring the trends seen in the broader meals and soups category. Demand patterns are returning to normal cycles as employees embrace everyday life…

Ready meals is recording further double-digit value growth in 2023, driven by an increase in the price of raw materials and logistics; however, growth is more moderate than it was in 2022. Retail volume sales are also growing steadily as consumption…