Asia Pacific

Cigarettes continued to dominate tobacco in Uzbekistan at the end of the review period. However, in 2023, cigarettes saw a decline in legal retail volume sales, compared to the previous year. Despite the increase in smoking prevalence, which was…

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…

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 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…

In 2023, Sri Lanka's tobacco sector faced substantial challenges due to significant price hikes for cigarettes amid economic recession and import restrictions. These factors led to a marked decline in smoking rates, especially among lower…

In 2023, overall retail current value sales of tobacco in South Korea showed a positive growth rate compared with the previous year, yet the growth rate was minimal, resulting in no significant difference in actual sales compared with 2022.

Tobacco in Singapore saw a retail volume decline in 2023, although current value sales increased. Retail volume sales of cigarettes continued to decrease, with mid-priced cigarettes suffering the most significant fall in sales. Meanwhile, the economy…

Overall, it was a mixed picture for tobacco in Pakistan in 2023.

Positive growth was seen in tobacco in Myanmar in 2023 as official retail volume sales of cigarettes continued to rise. However, much tobacco use stems from informal sales of betel quids and hand-rolled cheroots, as well as illicit sales of smuggled…

In 2023, cigarettes faced intense competition from e-vapour products as younger adults of legal smoking age switched to the latter, which they perceived as more affordable, with lower nicotine levels and a variety of flavour options available across…

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…

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…

Sales of tobacco in Japan remained fairy stable in retail current value terms in 2023. The Japanese government reclassified COVID-19 in May 2023, moving it from a level two to level five infectious disease. The new level is the same class as seasonal…

In 2023, legal cigarettes saw a significant decline in volume sales in Indonesia. The Indonesian Government increased the tobacco excise tax (CHT) rate by an average of 10% for cigarettes, 15% for electronic cigarettes and 6% for any other processed…

With social mobility returning to pre-COVID-19 levels post-pandemic, cigarettes have experienced the fastest volume growth in a decade, mainly fuelled by increased consumption occasions. The working population, including 316 million Millennials and a…

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…

Tobacco in China saw a fairly stable performance in 2023, with volume sales increasing marginally across all categories except e-vapour products. Cigarettes continued to see slow increases in both retail volume and current value sales, driven by…

In 2023, cigarette consumption in Cambodia has seen a gradual decline. This trend is driven by several factors such as a notable increase in e-cigarette use, particularly among younger consumers, the recent implementation of a VAT on cigarettes, and…

In 2023, the inflation rate in Bangladesh is very high, causing a significant increase in essential commodity prices over the past year. Despite this, tobacco sales have improved, primarily due to the widespread availability of single-stick sales,…

Overall, it was a positive picture for tobacco in Azerbaijan in 2023, with only marginal volume decline.

Higher disposable incomes and rapid urbanisation helped drive sales of tissue and hygiene in Vietnam during 2022-2023 with growth being seen in both value and volume terms. Vietnam's GDP was forecasted surpass 5% in 2023, while the inflation rate…

High unit prices continued in tissue and hygiene in Uzbekistan in 2023, driven by ongoing geopolitical issues. Disruptions had been easing in the post-pandemic landscape, however, the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war created a new set of challenges.…

Tissue and hygiene in the Philippines registered a positive performance in current value terms in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. Growth was supported by improved economic conditions and an increase in consumer mobility, as the…

With the exception of nappies/diapers, most retail tissue and hygiene categories recorded growth in volume terms in 2023, including key categories such as menstrual care and toilet paper. Sales of most products experience solid demand in 2023 due to…

Retail sales of tissue and hygiene in Taiwan registered accelerated growth in current value terms in 2023, when compared to the previous year. Prevailing Inflationary pressures were a key contributor this trend, as rising raw material and supply…

In 2023, tissue and hygiene in Sri Lanka faced challenges due to supply chain disruptions from import bans, prompting a shift towards local production. Consumer behaviour shifted towards affordable products amidst the recession, impacting businesses.…

Tissue and hygiene navigated a complex landscape in South Korea in 2023, shaped by key macro variables. Inflation, which was a global phenomenon, strongly impacted the industry. Rising raw materials costs squeezed profit margins and forced…

The post-pandemic shift in consumer priorities has redefined the tissue and hygiene landscape in Singapore. In 2023, this new picture depicted consumers’ higher selectivity towards the improvement of hygiene, compared to a general increase in the…

Tissue and hygiene registered a slight increase in constant value sales in Pakistan in 2023. Inflation continued to be very high and was being driven by several factors, including international commodity prices, global supply disruptions, flood…

Tissue and hygiene in Myanmar posted strong retail volume growth in 2023, supported by population growth and urbanisation, despite higher prices. The consumer base mainly consists of middle- and high-income consumers. However, households remained…

Tissue and hygiene in Malaysia was being affected by inflationary pressures in 2023, notably so with regards to food inflation impacting consumers’ spending power. This is even noted in staples such as rice, placing extra pressure on consumers’…

Tissue and hygiene recorded steady growth in retail volume terms in 2023 although there was no widespread usage of most categories. Sustained economic recovery was aided by improved performances in tourism, transport and logistics services and…

Kazakhstan has strong trade links with Russia and its war in Ukraine is negatively impacting the economy and leading to high inflation. Inflation continued to be very high in 2023, though it did ease at the end of the year due to monetary tightening.…

In 2023, both retail and away-from-home tissue and hygiene in Japan maintained growth in current value terms. Demographics, the fading away of COVID-19, and inflation were key factors affecting the industry in 2023. Baby-related products such as…

Tissue and hygiene in Indonesia recorded positive growth in all categories in 2023, with both volume and current value sales rising as the country’s economy strengthened even in the face of global uncertainty. Domestic economic growth was buoyed by…

Tissue and hygiene in India continued its positive trajectory in volume and current value terms in 2023, with growth for both retail and away-from-home (AFH) tissue and hygiene. In most categories, volume growth slowed slightly compared with 2022.…

The overall tissue and hygiene market showed stronger signs of recovery in 2023. The Hong Kong government began gradually relaxing the COVID-19-related social restrictions in early 2023. By March 2023, Hong Kong had fully reopened, with the lifting…

Despite the lift in pandemic restrictions at the beginning of the year and the corresponding resumption of offline activities, the total value sales of retail tissue and hygiene registered a rather mild rebound in 2023. These products have high…

During quarter one of 2023, Cambodia saw robust household consumption growth, attributed to a significant 1% drop in inflation compared to late 2022. This reduction bolstered consumers' purchasing power, lowering overall costs. With increased…

In 2023, tissue and hygiene in Bangladesh faces challenges as demand slows due to price hikes and increased household expenses. Political unrest further disrupts business performance, leaving daily wage labourers unemployed and struggling with daily…

Sales in tissue and hygiene in Azerbaijan continued to be influenced by inflationary pressures in 2023, although inflation levels have started to slow compared to the previous year. However, costs still remain high for manufacturers, and consumers…

The Tianjin in China report provides comprehensive city level information benchmarked against other cities in the country and region. The report includes historic data and forecasts on city population, consumer expenditure, digital penetration,…

The COVID-19 pandemic, technological disruption, globalisation reset and changing employee preferences have reshaped the way we work and learn. Businesses need to adopt new working models and become more flexible, people-centric and digitally-enabled…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in business models and consumer behaviour, as well as altering the ways and the geography many of us live, work, study and play. Understanding what changes will stick after the pandemic…

Natural increase will drive rapid population expansion in the Philippines in 2021-2040. While the ageing trend will quicken, impacting consumer trends to some extent, the country will remain relatively young in a regional context. Swift urbanisation…