Asia Pacific

North Korea’s autocratic regime is the most repressed globally for economic freedom, which propagates corruption, but sanctions could bring the country to the negotiating table. The command economy has been crippled by these sanctions, and remains…

Papua New Guinea faces considerable hurdles, marked by pervasive corruption and limited economic freedom. Country’s economy, heavily reliant on the uncertain global commodity market, is further strained by low productivity due to extensive…

Tuvalu has favourable political freedom, but a high dependency ratio and poor regulatory environment. Economy slowly recovered from COVID-19 pandemic and related slowdown, bolstered by the seafaring sector. Nevertheless, further growth will remain…

Sports nutrition products enjoyed dynamic growth in current value terms in 2023. As fears surrounding COVID-19 eased, consumers returned to their normal activities, including taking part in physical exercise. This included outdoor sports, like…

2023 witnessed remarkable growth for vitamins in current value terms, continuing the trend of the previous year. Persistent concerns surrounding COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, coupled with ongoing health concerns, sustained a robust demand…

With the revival of pre-pandemic lifestyles in 2023, including the return of individuals to their physical workplaces and social activities, many Thais looked to shed the excess weight they had gained during the pandemic. This helped to drive strong…

Retail sales of wound care products in Thailand experienced accelerated growth in current value terms in 2023, following the return of consumers to more active lifestyles outside the home. With the resumption of sports and other outdoor activities…

Retail sales of staple foods continued to see healthy growth in both volume and real value terms in Asia Pacific in 2023. This was despite foodservice sales seeing a spike in demand in 2023 after 2022 had seen the return of lockdowns in China. Asia…

Beauty and personal care in Asia Pacific has had a couple of tough years recently due to the pandemic. The first was 2020, when a number of countries in the region recorded declining sales with the emergence of the virus. The second was 2022, when…

Samoa is a politically stable country with a budget surplus. However, the large influence of the state and significant exposure to tourism could weigh on economic performance in the medium term. Although the country is young and growing, its…

Although government finances are solid and monetary freedom rank high, the Solomon Islands suffers from pervasive corruption and low investment freedom. Economic performance is expected to be below peers over the near term. The population is young…

Global growth is set to slow in 2024 as a result of high cost pressures for businesses and consumers, especially high interest rates. Asia Pacific will continue to stand out as the main global growth region while advanced economies decelerate.…

Although Tonga is ‘moderately free’ for Economic Freedom, it is relatively stable politically and had solid state finances. The economy is overly reliant on remittances and tourism, which could lead it to underperform compared to its peers, whilst it…

Packaging in China is undergoing notable shifts across various industries, driven by consumer preferences, environmental concerns and innovative design approaches. In alcoholic drinks, metal packaging, particularly metal beer bottles, has been…

An increasing number of brands are incorporating eco-friendly practices into their packaging to mitigate environmental concerns. Hong Kong consumers are becoming more inclined towards brands that follow sustainable initiatives. Leading skin care and…

In India, the demand for larger pack sizes, which offer better value for money, has surged due to inflation, especially in the wine industry, where 750ml sizes are popular for both individual consumption and sharing during social gatherings. The rise…

The increased demand for convenience is a major trend in the Indonesian packaging industry. This is due to a number of factors, including busier lifestyles, rising incomes and changing demographics. Packaging companies are responding to this trend by…

In the Philippines, the packaging industry has been seeing several noteworthy trends across different product categories. In food packaging, metal food cans are the preferred choice for packaging condensed milk. With its cultural significance and…

Respect of the rule of law and a dynamic private sector have led to superior economic freedom for Taiwan. However, geopolitical tensions are negatively impacting both the political and economic landscapes. Inflation has been controlled well, but the…

In Asia, the search of health-conscious young consumers for dietary supplement product efficacy is dominating market trends. They are susceptible to advertising but do extra research to make informed purchase decisions. Heightened health concerns,…