Understand the cultural and socioeconomic influences that shape i...
Understand the cultural and socioeconomic influences that shape industry demand throughout Asia-Pacific, with local insight, market statistics and analysis ranging from strategic regional overview to in-depth coverage by country or city.
The eye care market in Thailand experienced significant growth in current value terms in 2023, driven by various factors. One key contributor was a heightened awareness among consumers about the importance of maintaining good eye health, thanks to…
Herbal/traditional products are popular among Thai consumers, many of whom like to avoid products with synthetic ingredients and instead prefer those with natural elements, with the latter perceived to be safer, healthier, and, more importantly, to…
NRT smoking cessation aids remained one of the smallest categories within consumer health in Thailand in 2023. Consumers are only able to purchase these products from drugstores/parapharmacies or pharmacies, as they have to be dispensed by a…
Paediatric vitamins and dietary supplements remained the largest and most dynamic product area in current value terms in 2023, with parents remaining keen to protect their children’s health. As demand grew, so too did the variety of offerings, with…
Political instability is frequent and Kyrgyzstan fell into ‘mostly unfree’ for economic freedom ranking. Economic growth is forecast to be slower than peers and below the pre-pandemic levels. Population growth will add to consumer market appeal and a…
Macau, China benefits from political stability, but its ageing population could make increasing demands on government finances in the future. As the world’s largest gambling hub, Macau’s economy is heavily dependent on revenues from casinos, making…
Mongolia is a peaceful country, but with high levels of corruption and fragile governance. The economic growth should accelerate in 2023, supported by the vast mining sector, but the country’s dependence on this sector leaves it vulnerable.…
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…
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…
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…
After experiencing a rapid surge in growth during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trajectory of apparel accessories underwent a significant shift in 2022 and 2023. The demand for face masks, a pivotal component of the category…
India’s distinction as having one of the youngest populations globally provides a significant advantage, particularly when it comes to fashion. With a substantial proportion of the population belonging to younger age groups, the country boasts a…
Retail volume sales of overall baked goods saw flat growth in 2023, with average unit prices soaring for the second consecutive year. Several factors contributed to this snowballing of prices: the continued weakening of the IDR amid high import…
Overall breakfast cereals posted positive growth in terms of retail volume sales in 2023 at a similar rate to that recorded in 2022. The key consumer group for breakfast cereals in Indonesia consists of upper-income professionals who make up a…
Childrenswear has been experiencing a notable surge in sales, fuelled by younger parents’ changing preferences and spending habits. With the rise of dual-income households, these parents possess more significant disposable incomes, enabling them to…
In a rebound from the strong decline seen in 2020 due to COVID-19, the footwear category in India has been seeing significant growth, and recovered to the 2019 level of value sales in 2023. Post-COVID-19, consumer spending on footwear increased after…
In 2023, domestic travel in India witnessed remarkable growth of 56%, reflecting a significant increase in the number of people spending time away from their homes. This surge in travel activities, in turn, contributed to a higher retail volume…
Premium men’s jeans, and particularly premium women’s jeans, experienced robust value growth in 2023. The surge in demand can be attributed to a shift in consumer preference towards investing in high-quality jeans that offer durability and longevity.…
Menswear witnessed substantial double-digit current value growth in 2023, marking a continued strong rebound from the pre-pandemic downturn. In contrast to the previous year, which was characterised by festive purchasing and stockpiling, the…
In 2022, heightened environmental consciousness among the Japanese, coupled with the government’s goal of reducing disposable plastic waste by 25% over the next 10 years, drove various industries to switch towards sustainable packaging solutions.…
In 2022, sustainable packaging was gaining traction across industries in Malaysia. As an illustration, 10 fmcg companies united under the Malaysian Recycling Alliance (MAREA), committing themselves to recycling 5,000 tonnes of plastic waste by the…
In 2022, packaging trends in Singapore were significantly shaped by sustainability and consumer preferences. A study conducted by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) revealed that 70% of consumers in Singapore were concerned about the…
Packaging trends in South Korea showcase a dynamic landscape, driven by consumer preferences and environmental concerns. In the realm of gift-giving, there is a growing inclination, especially among the younger demographic, towards European fruit…
In 2022, the Vietnamese consumer goods market showed a distinct shift in packaging preferences, driven by a delicate balance between economic challenges, environmental consciousness and the desire for convenience. For example, in 2022, the Vietnamese…
Processed fruit and vegetables in Indonesia witnessed dramatically higher unit price hikes in 2023 than it saw in 2022, though volume demand remained sustained. This was partly thanks to independent foodservice operators who have been investing in…
Average unit prices in processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat saw another year of rises in 2023. This was for several reasons, including the increasing costs of energy and animal feed, with Indonesia being import-reliant for some raw…
Unit prices in overall rice, pasta, and noodles increased more dramatically in 2023 compared to 2022, with this being attributable to the dominant subcategory of rice seeing a steep unit price spike in 2023 that resulted from weather-induced harvest…
The demand for sportswear experienced a substantial surge in the post-COVID-19 era, driven by a shift in consumer preference towards adopting a healthier and fitness-oriented lifestyle in India. This transformation is evident in the growing emphasis…
Staple foods overall benefited from consumer purchasing power beginning to rise in 2023 as Indonesia’s economy started to rebound following difficult years during and immediately after the pandemic. Sales volumes were boosted by broadening consumer…
In 2023, a notable rise in social activities was observed, particularly with an increase in the number of women venturing out for work, which contributed to a significant surge in their spending on business attire, thereby fostering the growth of…
Charge cards in India remained a niche category within financial cards and payments in 2023, largely due to higher eligibility criteria for issuance. Given the higher credit score and minimum salary requirement for a charge card in comparison to…
Credit cards in India witnessed healthy demand in 2023 as consumers looked to bridge their income gap through smart spending. The adoption of credit cards further increased during the year, primarily as responsibilities in the form of expenditure…
A government-led financial inclusion initiative is enticing a burgeoning population to embrace the formal banking sector, which is acting in favour of further driving debit card penetration. The government’s financial inclusion initiative, also known…
A government-led financial inclusion initiative enticed a burgeoning population to embrace the formal banking sector, resulting in further uptake of financial cards, in particular, debit cards, in 2023. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)…
Pre-paid card transactions witnessed healthy double-digit growth in transaction volumes over 2021-2022. However, in 2023, the category witnessed a decline in volume of transactions as consumers became increasingly inclined to choose alternative…
The reopened border between mainland China and Hong Kong in early 2023 had significant implications for the demand of analgesic remedies within the city, which rose considerably. This growth can be attributed to a shortage of analgesic remedies…
Post-pandemic 2023 saw lifted restrictions lead to the return of tourists to Hong Kong and a rebound in tourism consumption, particularly for OTC products. Mainland Chinese tourists, who were once a key consumer group for these products, began to…