Asia Pacific

Although the pandemic put a temporary halt to the process in 2020 and 2021, dried ready meals have been gaining popularity in Thailand due to the country’s increasingly fast-paced lifestyles and ongoing urbanisation. As more people work long hours…

The solid growth recorded by plant-based milk packaging in 2022, as the largest retail unit volume category within plant-based dairy packaging in Singapore, was attributed to a global shift towards plant-based diets and lifestyles driven by health…

Plant-based milk has gained traction in Thailand due to a growing awareness of health and environmental concerns. Many Thai consumers are increasingly adopting plant-based diets for various reasons, including lactose intolerance, dietary restrictions…

Following a surge in demand for processed fruit and vegetables during the pandemic in Singapore, thereby boosting packaging, as local consumers looked to stock up on shelf stable essentials to avoid regular visits to grocery stores, retail unit…

Although it was not as marked as some categories in Thai packaged food, processed fruit and vegetables saw a small spike in demand in 2020, in turn boosting this category’s packaging unit volumes. With consumers preparing more meals at home due to…

While retail unit volumes of processed meat and seafood packaging recorded a marginal decline in 2022 compared to the highs of 2020, following the emergence of the pandemic and prolonged home seclusion, they remained higher than 2019 levels.

The consumption of shelf stable meat and seafood was bolstered in 2020 by the onset of the pandemic due to stockpiling, and because of the long shelf life of these products compared with fresh meat and seafood. In addition, the closure of foodservice…

Whilst holding marginally lower retail unit volume share compared to 2020, when pandemic-induced home seclusion led to a surge in home cooking and the reliance on various sauces, dips, and condiments, recipe sauces packaging returned to growth in…

Barbecue sauces are popular in Thailand due to their ability to infuse smoky, sweet and spicy flavours into grilled and roasted dishes, complementing the country’s rich culinary traditions. These sauces often feature a harmonious blend of local…

Despite a marginal decline in 2022 compared to the surge in demand during the pandemic and subsequent home seclusion, retail unit volumes of nuts and seed based spreads packaging, the largest category in sweet spreads packaging in Singapore, remained…

Albeit growing from a small base in Thailand, consuming chocolate spreads with bread has been increasing in popularity, particularly among children. In addition, the range of such products that are available in various retail channels has been…

The return of consumers to their busy-pandemic lifestyles had a positive impact on demand for analgesics in Malaysia in 2023. Within this, topical analgesics/anaesthetic remained the largest subcategory, as well as being the key driver of growth.…

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Malaysian consumers have been increasingly focused on preventative health measures, and this trend continued into 2023. Alongside the adoption of healthier diets and exercise behaviours, consumers sought out vitamins…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies witnessed an improved performance in constant value terms in 2023. This was due, in a large part, to a return of pre-pandemic lifestyles, including the reopening of schools and workspaces, which…

Dermatologicals saw an overall increase in demand in 2023, although performance varied somewhat by subcategory Nappy (diaper) rash treatments, for example, benefited from the return of consumers to more active lifestyles outside the home, which meant…

With COVID-19 still a relatively recent memory, Malaysians continued to place a strong emphasis on preventative health measures, including the intake of dietary supplements. Consumers saw these products as an effective way of boosting their immune…

Antacids continued as the key driver of growth within digestive remedies in 2023. With Malaysians returning to their stressful, on-the-go lifestyles, they were less likely to eat healthy meals and were hence more prone to digestive complaints, such…

Eye care continued to see robust growth in retail volume terms in 2023, with standard eye care leading the way. Malaysians typically spend long periods of time on digital devices, a practice which is linked to a range of vision issues, including…

Herbal and traditional products have a long-standing tradition within consumer health in Malaysia. Such products are often sold in kiosks, as well as herbal/traditional healthcare stores, and as such, are easy to obtain. For example, Tongkat Ali, one…

An increasing of smokers looked to quit the habit in 2023 and as such, retail volume sales of NRT smoking cessation aids continued to see strong growth as a result. The Malaysian government also continued to with its efforts to raise awareness of the…

Despite the fact that fears surrounding COVID-19 had largely subsided by 2023, many parents remained concerned about their children’s health, and as such, showed a willingness to invest in preventative health solutions. For example, paediatric…

Sports nutrition continued to see dynamic growth in constant value terms in 2023, as consumers returned to their active lifestyles. Sales also benefited from opening of more gyms and fitness centres, following the ending of various pandemic-related…

Demand for vitamins continued to grow at a rapid pace in 2023 as Malaysians increasingly focused on preventative health measures. Indeed, despite the transition of COVID-19 into an endemic virus, consumers continued to seek out products that claimed…

Weight management and wellbeing continued to record healthy growth in both volume and constant value terms in 2023. This was led by supplement nutrition drinks, continuing the pattern seen over the review period. Consumers are becoming increasingly…

Wound care continued to see positive growth in retail volume terms in 2023, as life returned to normal following the pandemic. With people spending more time outside the home, including taking part in sport, this led to an increase in the number of…

India was one of the few significant international markets to have registered a full recovery in alcohol drink sales in volume terms in 2022. The country's relatively young population played a pivotal role in this regard, setting it apart from…

Sales of analgesics in Japan have seen solid growth in current value terms in 2023 backed by increased opportunities for consumers to go out, the recovery in the number of inbound tourists, and a move away from the practice of wearing face masks on a…

Towards the end of the review period, demand for analgesics was supported by the widening of the consumer base for these products as the advantages of using analgesics to manage headaches and other moderate types of pain became better known among the…

Beer volumes surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels in 2022. This was partly attributable to India's historically low per capita consumption and the lower starting point created by the pandemic. Indeed, 2020 witnessed a significant decline in beer consumption…

Sales of OTC products in Japan continue on the path to recovery in 2023 as the country sees an end to the pandemic. With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the pandemic to be over in early 2023 there have been increased opportunities to go…

Positive sales growth was registered across most categories of consumer health in the Philippines in 2023 as the strong focus on health and wellbeing that has spread among the population since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to spur…

Sales of cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies in Japan have continued to recover in 2023. This is largely due to increased opportunities for consumers to go out and a shift away from the practice of wearing face masks on a daily basis. With…

In the Philippines, one interesting aspect of OTC products in general and cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies in particular is that consumers are generally very aware of the active ingredients that are contained within these products and the…

Dermatologicals has seen a return to growth in current value terms in 2023, which is mainly due to the waning impact of COVID-19 on consumer lifestyles and behaviours. Antipruritics is one of the largest categories within dermatologicals and has also…

2023 saw rising demand for dermatologicals supported by the return to pre-pandemic daily routines and lifestyles as greater exposure to the causes of various mild skin conditions resulted in a higher incidence of skin infections and parasite-related…

Similar to the pattern seen in vitamins, sales of dietary supplements continue to see steady growth in current value terms in 2023 due to increasing health consciousness. The market has been hit by the rising cost of raw materials and production…

Probiotic supplements generated further positive sales growth in 2023 as the category continued to recover from the significant sales declines registered in 2021. Many consumers began taking probiotic products as a way of strengthening their immune…

Sales of digestive remedies continue to see a strong recovery in 2023 in current value terms. Sales are rebounding from the negative impact of the pandemic with the lifting of restrictions increasing the opportunities for consumers to go out to eat…

One factor that spurred growth in sales of OTC digestive remedies during 2023 was the return to pre-pandemic lifestyles, with the accelerating pace of life in Philippine cities encouraging consumers to eat fast food and convenience food more often,…

With the pandemic declared to be over in 2023, sales of both standard eye care and allergy eye care have benefited from increased opportunities to get out and about, a recovery in the number of inbound travellers, but also high pollen counts.…

The key trend behind rising demand for standard eye care in the Philippines is the increased amount of screen time in the daily lives of many local people. Indeed, dramatic increases have been seen in the amount of time that Philippine consumers…

In 2023, with COVID-19 moving to a class 5 disease and restrictions on social behaviour being lifted, consumers started to go out without wearing masks, leading to an increase in influenza, infectious diseases with cough symptoms, and heat stroke. In…

Alternative medicine is increasingly commonplace in the Philippines and this continues to support rising demand for herbal/traditional products. Local people are increasingly favouring consumer products based natural ingredients such as camphor,…

Regulations against smoking are becoming stricter worldwide, and the situation is no different in Japan. These stricter rules have encouraged large numbers of smokers to quit, especially since the law banning smoking indoors in principle (Health…

2023 saw further positive growth in retail volume sales of NRT smoking cessation aids in the Philippines, although growth rates were considerably lower than the phenomenal performances recorded in the category earlier in the review period. The main…

Overall, sales of paediatric consumer health are in decline in current value terms in Japan in 2023. Nonetheless, the performances vary by product category with some benefiting from a post-pandemic recovery while others are facing headwinds. For…

The high sales growth being seen in paediatric consumer health in the Philippines is largely due to the country’s relatively high birth rate and the culture of not skimping when it comes to spending money on children. However, it should be noted that…

During 2022, India continued to witness a growing preference for low-calorie alcoholic beverages, as well as those with a lower alcohol content. This was driven by growing levels of health-consciousness and changing lifestyles post-COVID-19.…

The potential market for sleep aids is expanding in Japan off the back of an increasing number of consumers facing poor sleep quality and fewer hours of sleep. This drop in quality sleep is due in part to a rise in telecommuting and prolonged use of…

One of the more interesting aspects of the Philippine consumer health market is that the country is often the first territory that multinational companies launch new products in, especially those that represent a significant departure from the…