Asia Pacific

Retail volume sales of computers and peripherals registered a dramatic slump in 2023, in contrast to the positive performances of the previous two years. Households were reluctant to spend their hard-earned money on discretionary purchases, as fears…

Retail volume sales of computers and peripherals saw a steep decline in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. Such products experienced heightened demand in 2021, as the COVID-19 crisis forced consumers to spend more time working and…

Sales of computers and peripherals rocketed in response to COVID-19 and the introduction of restrictions. Many consumers were forced to switch to home working arrangements which created a huge demand for portable computers as consumers looked for…

Sales of computers and peripherals peaked during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 thanks to a spike in demand as consumers switched to working and studying from home. Such was the demand that some retailers struggled to keep up with demand with supply…

In Azerbaijan, concentrates are not widely favoured and sales fell into decline in 2023. Elderly individuals are the primary consumers of powdered concentrates, which bring nostalgia as they take many back to earlier times, especially Kisel that is…

Concentrates in China saw off-trade RTD volume and current value declines in 2023. Nevertheless, liquid concentrates maintained solid growth by both measures in this year, driven by coffee liquid concentrates, which are being increasingly popular in…

In 2023, demand for concentrates in Hong Kong faced stagnation, primarily due to low demand and a lack of growth in the larger value segment of liquid concentrates. Despite the resumption of active lifestyles following the easing of COVID-19…

The demand for health-enhancing products is on a notable rise in India. Pioma Industries, a leading concentrates player with its brand Rasna, has acknowledged this trend and developed products tailored to meet general health and wellness preferences.…

Overall concentrates posted flat growth in off-trade channels in Indonesia in 2023. Sales of liquid concentrates saw minor growth in volume terms, with sales supported by local consumers travelling back to their hometowns for large family gatherings…

In 2023, liquid concentrates is set to see a decrease in off-trade volume and current value sales. This is mainly due to the decreased amount of time consumers having been spending at home in this year. Liquid concentrates saw a strong rise in…

Concentrates is not a popular drink in Kazakhstan, with limited and stagnant value sales in 2023. Powder concentrates dominate and consumption is mainly supported by baby boomers who associate powder concentrates with communist times and in…

Off-trade volume sales in concentrates are relatively stable, thanks to the baseline demand for liquid concentrates in households in Malaysia. Indeed, liquid concentrates are especially in demand with large families, as they are perceived to offer…

Unlike most other soft drinks in Pakistan in 2023, the performance was positive for concentrates, which registered healthy volume growth. Part of the reason for the healthy growth is that powder concentrates in particular are more affordable than…

Concentrates can be split between liquid and powder formulations. In liquid concentrates, the most often consumed format in Singapore is fruit-based cordials, while in powder concentrates the more common format consumed is sports drinks/hydration…

For a second year, overall concentrates is set to see little movement in off-trade volume sales, with just a slight decline expected, as marginal growth for powder concentrates is offset by slight decline for liquid concentrates. Liquid concentrates…

While liquid concentrates posted marginal growth in off-trade volume sales in 2023, this was an improvement on the decline recorded in 2022. This was partly explained by the normalisation of consumption patterns, in that the contraction the previous…

Concentrates is a small and relatively mature category in Thailand, with sales limited to the off-trade channel. As in the previous year, sales saw only modest growth in volume terms in 2023, due to the growing interest of local consumers in health…

Off-trade volume sales of concentrates continued on their downward trajectory in 2023. Despite being recognised for their value for money, such products faced competition from other ready-to-drink beverages, such as carbonates, juice, and RTD tea.…

Although Vietnamese government managed to control inflation in 2023, price hikes and economic challenges nonetheless continued to constrain consumer expenditure. These economic pressures have had a mixed impact on sales of concentrates in 2023. On…

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…

Flexible plastic is the leading pack type used in confectionery packaging in Hong Kong due to its versatile properties. This type of packaging is pliable and can easily adapt to different shapes. Other advantages of flexible plastic packaging include…

Flexible plastic accounted for the highest share of packaging volumes in countlines in 2023, and gained share of overall packaging volumes in this category. The rising popularity of this pack type is due to its versatility, convenience, and…

Countlines packaging was recording some of the strongest growth in confectionery packaging in Indonesia in 2022 as it typically includes individually wrapped chocolates or candies to cater to the trend of convenient, on-the-go consumption. As urban…

Total confectionery packaging volumes in Japan saw a decline in 2023. Although turning to decline in 2023, flexible plastic continued to account for the highest packaging volumes in confectionery in 2023. This is primarily driven by its versatility,…

Flexible plastic is a dominant pack type in confectionery due to cost-effectiveness, product protection and consumer convenience. Flexible plastic offers a significant cost advantage for producers compared to alternative packaging materials. This…

The ongoing positive growth recorded by chocolate confectionery packaging in Singapore towards the end of the review period was attributed to these products remaining popular among local consumers as indulgent treats and gifts, contributing to…

Total confectionery packaging volumes increased in South Korea in 2023, seeing a gradual recovery after sales declined during the pandemic. Flexible packaging remained the dominant pack type in chocolate confectionery in 2023, as this offers…

The packaging unit volumes in confectionery declined in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic sharpened the focus of Thai consumers on the importance of maintaining a healthy diet for general wellbeing and a strong immune system. In addition, COVID-19…

While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was positive for many packaged food categories, this did not apply to confectionery as sales in the category came under massive pressure during 2020, which continued, to some extent, in 2021. While all the…

Although growth slowed in 2022, it was still positive in sugar confectionery, which dominates overall confectionery packaging in Vietnam, with products such as candies and sweets remaining highly popular among Vietnamese consumers of all ages. These…

2022 witnessed a mid-single-digit decline in retail volume sales of consumer appliances due to the resurgence of COVID-19, and it is expected that the retail volume decline will continue, although at a slower rate, in 2023. 2023 has seen consumer…

Consumer appliances is set to see modest retail volume growth in Hong Kong in 2023, due to the removal of pandemic restrictions and subsequent economic growth. Certain categories, such as air treatment products, and in particular refrigeration…

After a year of healthy growth in 2022, the demand for consumer appliances in India notably slowed in 2023, hindered by inflationary pressures and a cost-of-living crisis. This was one of the key themes that plagued the industry during the year.…

Retail volume sales of consumer appliances in Indonesia witnessed more robust growth in 2023, when compared to the previous year. This was attributable to a gradual improvement in consumer purchasing power, thanks to better economic conditions,…

COVID-19 directly impacted retail volume sales of consumer appliances in 2020 and 2021, but in 2022 and 2023 its impact faded. However, a larger impact in 2022 and 2023 has been from inflation, which derived in large part from the war in Ukraine,…

The lifting of restrictions in 2022 has reshaped the Malaysian consumer landscape, with local consumers no longer confined to their homes. The newfound freedom has boosted spending in sectors such as tourism and food service, detracting from consumer…

A significant contributor to flat growth in major appliance sales is the prevailing economic conditions in Singapore. Economic fluctuations, stagnant wage growth, and high living costs can influence consumer decisions. In such conditions, consumers…

Retail volume sales of major appliances are declining in 2023, albeit by a slower rate compared to 2022, attributed to inflation and consumers’ constrained budgets. During the pandemic, demand for many consumer appliances experienced an unprecedented…

In 2023, consumer appliances in Taiwan posted slower retail volume and value growth compared to the previous year, with sales negatively impacted by inflationary pressure, the slowdown in the local real estate market, and a spending shift from goods…

Sales of consumer appliances continued to see steady growth in retail volume terms in 2023 boosted by new property development and fewer concerns about COVID-19. The government’s economic stimulus programme also encouraged consumers to go shopping…

The performance of consumer appliances in the Philippines towards the end of the review period was significantly affected by high inflation in 2022, with a slightly higher inflation rate projected for 2023 as a whole. This has dampened the growth…

Government forecasts indicate a positive GDP growth for Vietnam across 2023, with a gradual decline in the average monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is a good sign regarding stabilisation of inflation. The government in Vietnam aims to keep…

Consumer credit is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, following subdued demand in 2022, affected by the pandemic. The pick-up in consumer credit growth has largely been due to rises in home and card lending, reflecting some improvement in…

Since the reopening of borders in the fourth quarter of 2022, there has been a significant increase in the desire of Hong Kong residents to travel abroad, following three years of pandemic-induced restrictions. Throughout 2023, there has been a…

In 2023, card lending - driven by increasing credit card adoption in India - remained the dominant category within consumer credit in gross lending terms. The adoption of credit cards further increased during the year, primarily as consumers’…

Consumer credit gross lending has experienced further strong growth in 2023, along similar lines to the previous year. The main factor behind this growth has been the improvement in economic conditions as a result of increased community mobility…

Japan currently does not have any law restrictions surrounding Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and thus the benefits, such as convenience, flexibility, and especially no credit checks, are gradually being understood by a wider consumer base. These benefits…

In 2021 and 2022, many local consumers used personal loans when faced with unplanned expenses or a personal financial emergency. Malaysian banks were very active in offering personal loans to individuals, providing flexible repayments and offering…

Following the pandemic, card lending, contributing to over 60% of consumer credit gross lending in Singapore, has witnessed significant growth, largely propelled by the enduring trend of revenge travel. The resumption of travel and tourism activities…

One of the most significant global issues concerning consumer credit is BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) services, which enable consumers without sufficient funds to make an immediate purchase, locally known as “thin filers”, to obtain goods and pay at a…