Asia Pacific

During 2023, polishes saw an improved performance in both retail volume and current value terms. The category is dominated by shoe polishes, which benefitted from the revival of normal, pre-pandemic lifestyles, including the return of consumers to…

Portable players continues to see weak demand overall and remain in a negative figure slump, albeit volume sales have improved from the steep declines seen in 2022. Overall, the advances in technology seen in multifunctional consumer electronics such…

Portable players is seeing a healthy performance in 2023, in part thanks to the overall popularity and success of wireless speakers, in addition to the return of gatherings and social occasions out-of-home in the post-pandemic landscape. Indeed, in…

In 2023, portable players in India saw positive retail volume and current value growth, driven solely by the sale of wireless speakers. The vast majority of sales in portable players can be attributed to wireless speakers, which are witnessing…

In 2023, positive volume sales growth in portable players in Indonesia remains entirely driven by sales of wireless speakers, while other product areas are witnessing significant retail volume declines. The surge in popularity of multifunctional…

It was in May 2022 that Apple announced it was discontinuing its iPod brand. Apple’s iPod is an iconic device, changing the face of music over the last two decades. With the advertising copy “1,000 songs in your pocket”, the first model debuted in…

Portable players is dominated by wireless speakers, with portable multimedia players accounting for most of the remainder. Compact, portable and affordable, as well as being compatible with “on-the-go” lifestyles, wireless speakers are rapidly…

Following the exit of portable media players from Singapore in 2022, wireless speakers is the only product category to drive demand for portable players in 2023. The convenience and ease of use make wireless speakers a popular device in the local…

Overall demand for portable players is expected to increase in 2023, but most categories are set to maintain retail volume declines, and growth will be driven solely by the dominant wireless speakers category. In addition to use within the home, in…

Wireless speakers continued to drive growth in portable players in 2023, being the only product area to have recorded a positive increase in sales in retail volume terms. Compact, portable and affordable, as well as being compatible with “on-the-go”…

Retail volume sales of portable players remained static in 2023, as portable media players, epitomised by the iPod, continued on their path of decline. With the rise of smartphones, consumers now have access to various media applications that provide…

Sales of portable players are seeing growth in retail volume terms in 2023 for the second year running but this growth is being driven by wireless speakers with all the other categories posting heavy losses. A major fact in this is that wireless…

Portable players continues to see healthy growth in retail volume terms in 2023, although this is being entirely driven by the strong demand for wireless speakers. Consumers appreciate the convenience of being able to create a fast connection between…

As of July 2023, 10 pre-paid card issuers had had their payment clearing license revoked, according to PBOC (People’s Bank of China). In fact, the majority of these issuers voluntarily cancelled their licenses, affected by stringent government…

Octopus has established itself as the most widely used and popular open loop pre-paid card in Hong Kong, offering a myriad of convenient features and services. Recognising the growing interest among local residents to explore the mainland during…

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 pre-paid cards category has continued its strong performance in 2023, with the category seeing positive growth in terms of both volume and value transactions, as in the previous year. Pre-paid cards has been particularly impacted by the revival…

In the review period, pre-paid cards showed progression to online (mobile, smart watch, etc...) payment, especially within transportation pre-paid cards such as Suica and PASMO cards. More people opted to use smartphone app versions of pre-paid cards…

Despite increased competition from other payment methods, pre-paid cards retains the potential for growth as Malaysia continues to shift towards a cashless society. With the use of cash in long-term decline, a trend accelerated by the Coronavirus…

EZ-link, the leading open-looped pre-paid card in Singapore, has significantly benefited from the resumption of regional travel. Not only has EZ-link gained traction among tourists visiting Singapore, who find it a convenient payment solution for…