Asia Pacific

American Express signed a partnership with Vietnam JSC Bank for Industry & Trade (Vietinbank) in 2021 to increase acceptance of its cards in Vietnam. However, charge cards are not issued in Vietnam and there is unlikely to be any significant demand…

As charge cards caters to higher-income earners, it is still only small in the Philippines in 2022. Credit cards have low penetration in the country and it is thus to be expected that more premium card products will have an even smaller market. Even…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the charge card category declined significantly due to restrictions on all activities such as traveling, dining and entertainment, which impacted normal patterns of expenditure. In the post-pandemic era, consumers have…

Despite being historically less popular in Taiwan due to limited merchant acceptance compared to VISA, MasterCard, and JCB, American Express (AMEX) is making significant strides in the market. The key to its success lies in the exclusive benefits and…

Charge card transactions have demonstrated a consistent upward trajectory in terms of transaction volume and retail value in 2023, coinciding with the resurgence of travel activities in Southeast Asia as pandemic-related restrictions have been…

Charge cards continue to struggle to appeal widely, and consumer demand is set to remain relatively low at the end of the review period. This situation is confirmed by the limited supply of charge cards from banking institutions in Malaysia. Indeed,…

In 2023, the charge cards category has experienced positive growth, both in terms of volume and value transactions. Similarly to the previous year, growth has largely been driven by the revival of normal social and economic activity in the wake 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…

There has been a decline in the number of high net worth individuals (HNWI) in Hong Kong since 2020. In response, charge card operators such as American Express and Diners Club are determined to customise their latest offers to better cater for this…

Cat food is seeing healthy growth in Vietnam in 2024, in both value and volume terms. Indeed, as seen with the evolving education about the care and wellbeing of animals in the country, this is also benefitting cats as well as dogs. With more…

In recent years, sales of cat food increased significantly due to rising cat ownership, although the number of cats remained far lower than the number of dogs in the country. The expansion in the cat population attracted many players to the category,…

The increasing preference for cat ownership over dogs is reshaping the dynamics of pet food, particularly for cat food in Thailand. As cats require less food and medication compared to dogs, the demand for cat food is rising steadily as the cat…

Significant improvements were seen in pet registration in Taiwan towards the end of the review period, with registered cat ownership growing at a faster rate than registered dog ownership, mainly due to rapid growth in cat ownership among people aged…

Cat food is expected to maintain strong growth in South Korea in 2024, with a high single-digit current value increase, continuing the trend observed in 2023. However, the increases in these two years were lower than the steady double-digit growth…

Overall, retail volume growth of cat food in Singapore is expected to see another year of slowdown in 2024, as the population of pet cats saw a slower increase in 2023, and this is set to continue in 2024. In addition, 2023 saw rising cases of pet…

Cat food is set to see solid retail volume and current value growth in Malaysia in 2024, with higher growth rates than those seen in 2023, but not as high as in the years prior. The rising cat population is one major factor in the continued strong…

The rise in the average unit price of cat food in Japan was notably higher in 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2024, resulting in stronger volume decline, while value sales have benefited. Some of the demand in economy dry cat food has been…

Cat food is performing better than dog food in Indonesia in 2024. This is attributed to a stronger predilection for people to keep cats over dogs (dogs require a greater amount of attention than cats, from exercise to training and general…

Cat food in India is expected to maintain dynamic retail volume and current value growth in 2024. Due to increasing urbanisation, consumers are moving to smaller homes. As a result, they are seeking pets more suitable for limited spaces than dogs,…

Demand for cat food in Hong Kong continues to rise, fuelled by the expanding cat population, while the premium segment emerges as the stronger performer in terms of value growth. Consumers actively choose snacks that have both taste and functionality…

While the dog population has been declining, the cat population has been expanding, and this is expected to continue in 2024. In a notable shift, the cat population surpassed that of dogs for the first time in 2021, and the gap has continued to widen…

Carbonates has seen slower growth in both on-trade and off-trade volume terms compared to 2022. This can be attributed to several factors such as elevated inflation, lower income levels, and increased health concerns and a growing focus on sport and…

Carbonates continue to enjoy strong double-digit growth in the off-trade underpinned by population growth, urbanization and the slowdown in unit price growth. The country‘s youthful demographic profile is one of the key drivers of overall demand.…

Despite continued inflationary pressures, carbonates registered healthy growth in volume terms in 2023, both in on-trade and off-trade channels. Besides an increase in consumer mobility, this was attributable to the sustained marketing and…

Regular carbonates registered a decline in off-trade volume sales in 2023, in contrast to their reduced sugar counterparts. Thais are becoming increasingly cautious about their sugar intake, given that excessive consumption has been linked wide range…

Carbonates in smaller pack sizes of 200-350ml gained ground in off- and on-trade channels in Taiwan in 2023. This was partly due to rising health-consciousness among the population, in that concerns about the sugar content of these soft drinks led…

Overall carbonates is set to see dynamic off-trade volume growth in 2023. However, concerns about the dangers of the overconsumption of sugar are driving consumers towards healthier variants. Increasing numbers of consumers are concerned about the…

On-trade volume sales of carbonates are set to record another year of growth in 2023, continuing to rebound after the decline seen in 2020, with growth being driven by reduced sugar carbonates. Meanwhile, off-trade volume growth of carbonates is…

With inflation even higher than in 2022, consumers felt the financial pinch and as a result, volume sales of carbonates fell in 2023. That being said, competition remained tight and players looked to compete with each other by introducing or even…

On-trade volume and fountain sales in carbonates are being supported by developments in foodservice and hospitality channels. For example, as seen with the growth of hotels in the country, such as the Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur, INNSiDE by Meliá Kuala…

Carbonates continued to experience volume growth in 2023, maintaining its steady upward trend. Growth can be attributed to several factors, including population expansion, especially among the younger demographic, increased per capita consumption due…

In 2023, total volume sales of carbonates are set to decrease compared with 2022. On-trade volume sales are expected to increase thanks to a continued rebound in demand after the lifting of pandemic restrictions. However, off-trade volume sales are…

Carbonates in Indonesia saw healthy volume growth for the third consecutive year in 2023 with sales normalising in terms of off-trade volume and value, and the former returning to pre-pandemic levels (current value sales recovered in 2022). The…

In 2024, Coca-Cola, the leading carbonates player in India, decided to transfer its company-owned bottling operations in three North Indian regions to existing independent bottlers. These regions include Rajasthan, Bihar, North-East India, and parts…

After the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, the city experienced a notable resurgence in foot traffic, accompanied by an influx of tourists, which had a positive impact on the on-trade sales of carbonates in Hong Kong. It also helped drive…

Off-trade volume and current value sales of carbonates continued to see dynamic growth in China in 2023. Brands were able to maintain growth through innovations in areas such as sugar reduction and flavours. Sugar reduction (the use of sweeteners)…

Carbonates is the most popular soft drink in Azerbaijan, with consumption rising in tandem with population growth and urbanization in the country. Cola carbonates comprises over 60% of retail volume sales and yet continues to enjoy strong growth in…

The cannabis market has experienced significant turmoil due to uncertainties arising from the actions of the Thai Government. Subsequently, there was a noticeable decline in consumer confidence in legal cannabis consumption in 2023. While demand…

Currently, there are no sales of medical cannabis in Japan, although the illegal cannabis market continues to grow, along with legal CBD & other non-intoxicating cannabinoids. However, an amendment to Japan’s Cannabis Control Law was passed in…

Cafés/bars continued to enjoy healthy growth in current value terms in 2023. This was attributable to a rebound in international and domestic tourism, following the revival of the travel industry in the aftermath of the pandemic., Such establishments…

During 2023, cafés/bars recorded solid growth in terms of both current value and volume of transactions. This was driven to a large extent by an increase in consumer mobility, with locals being keen to make up for the time lost during the pandemic.…

Cafés/bars in Thailand registered buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023. Growth was driven by the revival of normal pre-pandemic lifestyles, including the return of consumers to their physical workspaces and more regular contact with family…

Coffee is a daily ritual for most people in Taiwan, but especially office workers, with this benefiting cafés/bars. Convenience store cafés/bars play an important role in due to the wide coverage of these stores, which gives consumers easy access to…

Specialist coffee and tea shops is a mature category in South Korea, but continued to show dynamic growth in 2023. Previously, players in specialist coffee shops changed high unit prices, but advances in coffee machines led to standardisation of…

Bars/pubs in Singapore continued to record sustained value growth in 2023, following a spike in 2022 as pandemic-related movement restrictions were relaxed. Renowned for its cocktail culture, Singapore is home to a diverse array of drinking…

There has been a significant rise in the number of Malaysians taking up coffee drinking culture, with the country ranked third highest in terms of coffee consumption in Asia Pacific. With Malaysians becoming more coffee-savvy, there are notable…

In May 2023, the Japanese government downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to class 5, which led to a rebound in footfall for consumer foodservice. Consumers returned to going out, and enjoyed dining out. In particular, bars/pubs, which suffered…

Cafés/bars saw another year of buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023, with independent outlets leading the way. This was consistent with the developing coffee drinking culture in the country, as consumers sought out visually appealing venues…

Cafés/bars maintained exceptional current value growth in India in 2023, with solid growth also seen in outlet numbers. The strongest growth was seen by bars/pubs, partly because this channel was the hardest hot by the pandemic. In addition, in…

After a difficult year in 2022, cafés/bars saw a significant rebound in current value terms in Hong Kong in 2023, although sales remained well below the pre-pandemic level. The coffee scene has become increasingly diverse in Hong Kong, with a wide…