Asia Pacific

The tobacco industry in Thailand registered a stagnant performance in 2023, in both volume and current value terms. At the same time, the number of smokers in the population fell for the second consecutive year, having risen during the pandemic. This…

Tobacco in the Philippines saw overall growth fall in both volume and current value terms in 2023, driven in large part the persistent downfall of cigarettes, which continued to decline while cigars and cigarillos enjoyed stable demand within a niche…

In 2023, tobacco continued to record a positive performance in Vietnam despite the fact that the country experienced challenging economic conditions and considerable inflationary pressure. Many Vietnamese consumers maintained their habit of smoking…

The decline of cigarettes sales in Taiwan accelerated in volume terms over 2023 due to several factors, including the expansion of non-smoking areas, the increase in smoking age, and increased penalties to business owners, stakeholders and end users.…

According to government data, the import of cigars and cigarillos during 2019 to 2023 increased significantly with 184% growth in volume. The growth of year-to-year got eased in 2023 as the traveling resumed since the fourth quarter 2022.…

Retail volume sales of smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco plummeted in 2023, following the total ban of e-vapour products in Taiwan. However, heated tobacco products made strong progress from a low base. E-vapour products had…

Tobacco in Taiwan has been heavily impacted by the amended Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, which came into effect on 22 March 2023. Taiwan now operates a complete ban on e-vapour products and regulates heated tobacco products. There are some…

Total volume of alcoholic drinks in China saw a marginal rebound in 2023, shifting from decline in 2022 to a slight single-digit increase in 2023. However, the off-trade channel experienced a slight decrease in volume sales, while the on-trade…

In 2023, total volume sales of alcoholic drinks in Japan saw a slight decline. However, performances differed widely across the two different channels. The on-trade channel demonstrated a second year of robust rebound as Japan began to move past the…

In 2023, beer in China saw a slight rebound in total volume sales compared with 2022, mainly driven by the easing of pandemic restrictions and a return to growth in on-trade sales. However, total volume sales were still short of the 2019 figure in…

Total volume sales of beer in Japan decreased slightly from 2022 to 2023. Although on-trade sales saw a double-digit increase, maintaining the post-pandemic recovery trend started in 2022, the impact of the decline in off-trade sales, as consumers…

In 2023, cider/perry in China maintained high growth rates, with total volume and current value growth rates in the double digits. Particularly high growth was seen in the on-trade channel, with growth rates exceeding 20%. The strong growth of…

In 2023, cider/perry in Japan witnessed a total volume decline. However, the on-trade rebound was significant, continuing the double-digit growth observed in 2022. Despite the lifting of COVID-19 quasi-emergency measures across all prefectures in…

In 2023, cigarettes in Kazakhstan continued to experience negative trends, leading to the ongoing decline in retail volume sales. This was informed by the ongoing gradual decrease in the number of smokers and reduced smoking prevalence, as well as a…

Overall, cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Kazakhstan registered a stronger decline in retail volume sales in 2023, compared to 2022. However, this was due to the weak performances of cigars and cigarillos, while pipe tobacco and fine cut…

RTDs in China maintained strong growth in both off-trade volume and current value terms in 2023, with both increasing by double digits, with on-trade sales also rising. Generally, younger consumers of legal purchasing age in China are gradually…

In 2022, RTDs in Japan experienced a total volume decline for the first time in 15 years, as a result of a decrease in demand for home consumption in a rebound after off-trade sales surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2023, RTDs in Japan…

Smokeless tobacco, e-vapour products and heated tobacco in Kazakhstan faced significant challenges at the end of the review period. Heated tobacco products, by far the biggest category in terms of retail value sales, posted declines in retail volume…

Spirits in China showed different trends in total volume and total current value terms in 2023. Total volume sales declined both off-trade and on-trade, primarily due to the continued decrease in sales of Chinese spirits. Although the lifting of…

Total volume sales of spirits in Japan declined slightly in 2023, as a result of off-trade decline outweighing on-trade growth. However, not all categories saw falling sales. During the three years of the pandemic, there was a surge in the home…

Within tobacco in Kazakhstan, retail volume sales of cigarettes continued to decline in 2023. The performance of cigarettes in the market was affected by the switch to alternatives like smoking tobacco, closed system single use (closed vaping…

Tobacco in Laos recorded positive sales growth in 2023, despite spreading health concerns and government efforts to reduce smoking prevalence via information campaigns, taxation and regulation. The 2023 decree imposing higher taxes on cigarettes and…

In 2023, wine in China experienced declines in both total volume and total current value terms, with overall sales and revenue showing low single-digit decreases. Chinese consumers’ willingness to purchase and consume wine has decreased. In China,…

Total volume sales of wine in Japan saw a slight decline in 2023. While on-trade sales increased strongly in a continued rebound from the pandemic decline, the impact of the decline in the off-trade was more significant. Home drinking decreased after…

In 2023, alcoholic drinks in South Korea turned to slight total volume decline. The industry navigated a complex landscape marked by high expectations for post-pandemic recovery, which was somewhat dampened by significant consumer cost burden due to…

Alcoholic drinks in the Philippines continued to see healthy growth in volume terms in 2023. This was within the context of a gradually improving economy, which had a positive impact on consumer spending. Indeed, the country finished with year with a…

Despite expectations that the endemic phase of the pandemic would herald a second year of dynamic revival for the on-trade, and a flourishing year for total volume sales of beer in 2023, beer in South Korea experienced stagnation, with declines seen…

Thanks to the improving economic conditions and a flourishing labour market, the market for beer in the Philippines continued to expand in both volume and current value terms in 2023 . The revitalisation of on-trade spending also emerged as a key…

Chocolate confectionery in China saw solid retail current value growth in 2023, and this trend is expected to be maintained in 2024. Beyond the traditional formats, chocolate confectionery continues to evolve in terms of textures and tastes. First,…

Cider/perry, which is a niche market in the Philippines, continued to see modest, albeit positive growth in volume terms in 2023. The category competes closely with other alcoholic drinks, such as beer and RTDs, which have a more established…

Following slowing growth post-pandemic, volume sales of cigarettes in Hong Kong declined in 2023, in line with a stronger fall in smoking prevalence among the adult population. This downward trend was despite the relaxation of pandemic-related rules,…

Demand for cigars in Hong Kong marginally improved in 2023, supporting sales through offline distribution channels in line with the waning impact of the pandemic. One notable development was the opening of cigar shops in the Tsim Sha Tsui East…

After a year of strong retail current value decline in 2022, gum in China returned to growth in 2023, and recovery is expected to continue in 2024. Both chewing gum and bubble gum saw the same trend of decline followed by rebound. However, the upward…

After experiencing rapid growth in 2021 and 2022, retail current value sales of ice cream in China saw a significant decline in 2023. Several factors contributed to this downturn. Compared with 2022, there were fewer days with high temperatures,…

RTDs in South Korea saw exceptional total volume growth in 2023, mainly driven by off-trade growth, although on-trade sales also saw a double-digit increase. Growth was primarily driven by an increase in light home drinking, and a rise in young…

Following a three-year period of decline, RTDs registered positive growth in volume terms in 2023, with sales increasingly in both off-trade and the on-trade channels. Spirit-based RTDs saw especially strong growth in on-trade outlets, bolstered by…

Savoury snacks in China is set to see a slowdown in retail current value growth in 2024, even though the growth rate in 2023 was already minimal. Overall economic slowdown in China and increasing uncertainty about the future have driven consumers…

As consumers’ lives gradually returned to normal in 2023, retail current value sales of snacks experienced a return to growth. However, in 2024, the growth rate for snacks in China is set to slow slightly, becoming almost static, due to the impact of…

Sprits in South Korea recorded a total volume decline in 2023. However, not all categories faced a negative performance. For instance, whiskies demonstrated robust growth, notably influenced by the behaviours of Generation Z of legal drinking age,…

Volume sales of spirits in the Philippines registered positive growth in 2023. This was within the context of a gradually improving economy, which had a positive impact on disposable incomes. Gin and rum remained the most important product areas in…

Afte a year of decline in 2022 during the pandemic restrictions, sugar confectionery in China returned to retail current value growth in 2023, and this trend is set to be maintained in 2024. With increasing consumer health consciousness…

In 2024, sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in China is expected to maintain the trend from the previous year and witness steady minimal growth in retail current value terms. This is mainly due to the overall economic slowdown in China, and…

Retail volume sales of tobacco in Hong Kong continued to strongly decline in 2023. Strong tobacco control measures and legislation introduced by the local government have resulted in a highly saturated and mature market. The government introduced yet…

In South Korea, the alcoholic drinks industry has been rapidly evolving, witnessing a swift transition from imported beers to craft beers, then to wines, and subsequently to whiskies and highballs. The industry is now speculating about the next big…

Despite inflationary pressures, demand for wine in the Philippines continued to grow in 2023. On-trade volumes grew at a faster rate than their off-trade counterparts, with sales edging closer towards pre-pandemic levels.

Flexible plastic remains the preferred pack type in dried baby food packaging in China due to its numerous advantages that align with consumer needs and market demands. This packaging type offers superior barrier properties, ensuring the preservation…

Cigarettes saw volume sales decline in Indonesia in 2023. Retail volume sales of legal cigarettes in Indonesia have experienced fluctuation in recent years, with a significant fall in the final year of the review period. While legal cigarette volumes…

Cigars and cigarillos saw volume sales increase in Indonesia in 2023, while smoking tobacco witnessed a dramatic rise in volumes during the year. Cigars and cigarillos are expected to remain a niche interest, particularly as they are unappealing to…

In 2023, flexible plastic packaging continued to dominate confectionery packaging in China in unit volume terms. This was due to its lightweight and flexible nature, which offers convenience in handling and transportation. It is also ideal for…

Shaped liquid cartons, already a major pack type within the category, were gaining share in dairy food packaging in China in 2023 due to their versatility, convenience and superior branding possibilities. These cartons are easy to handle, pour and…