Asia Pacific

Due to rising inflation, savoury snacks manufacturers have introduced different product sizes, to cater for different customer segments. Some consumers prefer buying value sized products, as it provides greater value for money on the weekly shop. By…

Unit prices of savoury snacks, in particular salty snacks, have continued to increase in 2023. This is being driven by steep increases in production costs due to escalating palm oil prices after Indonesia’s export ban, and is expected to result in a…

Savoury snacks in South Korea is set to maintain solid growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2024. With a declining youth population in the country, consumers in their 30s and 40s are driving the popularity of savoury snacks,…

Similar to other snack categories, the demand for savoury snacks, especially chips and puffed biscuits, continued to grow in 2022 due to home seclusion. As the country emerged from the pandemic, consumption shifted from larger or multi-pack options…

Savoury snacks is also benefitting from consumers’ return to out-of-home, on-the-go lifestyles, along with the revival of tourism. It should also be noted that potato chips, a popular category, was not too badly impacted by the era of the pandemic…

Thanks to the favourable economic performance and sustained marketing efforts of incumbent players such as Toby Marketing, Leslie Corp, and Universal Robina Corp sales of savoury snacks returned to growth in retail volume terms in 2022. The…

While in 2020 and 2021, savoury snacks were considered as a treat for consumers to fight the boredom of home seclusion during the pandemic, in 2022 and 2023, in the post-COVID-19 period, people have been returning to their previous routines, and…

Retail sales of savoury snacks saw continued growth in volume terms in 2023, albeit at a much slower pace than the previous year. Besides inflationary pressures, which caused consumers to become more frugal with their spending, this was due to rising…

In 2023, self-service restaurants experienced a revival of its growth rate, following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 lockdown the previous year. However, the average spend per transaction continued to decline, which was primarily linked to the…

Self-service cafeterias in Hong Kong experienced significant declines in transaction volumes and current value sales in 2023, largely due to the decreasing number of outlets for one of the main players, Marugame Seimen. However, the channel did…

Self-service cafeterias maintained outlet growth and continued to increase in current value terms in India in 2023. However, it remained by far the smallest channel, representing less than 1% of overall consumer foodservice value sales in India in…

Self-service cafeterias registered a stagnant performance in Indonesia in current value terms in 2023. With a high proportion of these outlets typically located in hypermarkets, the performance of the category is heavily dependent on this retail…

On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government announced that it would reclassify COVID-19 as a class 5 infectious disease, which is the same classification as seasonal flu. As a result, decisions regarding infection control were left to individuals and…

Chained self-service cafeterias continued to see low levels of popularity in Malaysia at the end of the review period. The Ikea Restaurant brand maintained its dominant position in the market. Indeed, there are no other players with a significant…

Catering for budget-conscious consumers in Singapore amid the uncertain economic situation reflects a strategic response to the evolving needs and preferences of the self-service cafeteria customer base. In Singapore, IKEA has long been synonymous…

In 2022 and 2023, independent self-service cafeterias demonstrated double-digit growth in retail value sales. The primary driver behind this success was the popularity of local Korean cuisine buffets, which provide a rich variety of options, and…

The Taiwanese are keen on eating all-you-can buffets, as the diverse range of options caters to a variety of personal choices, with this benefiting self-service cafeterias. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a strong desire for more social…

Self-service cafeterias is a relatively niche category in Thailand, with Ikano (Thailand) Co Ltd being the only player. During 2023, the company registered healthy growth in current value terms, thanks to the revival of normal shopping behaviour in…

There were no self-service cafeterias operating in the Philippines at the end of the review period and in 2021.

The self-service cafeterias channel is not present in Vietnam and there are no signs that it will emerge over the forecast period.

Skin care in Azerbaijan registered moderate constant value and volume growth, as supply disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine were for the most part ironed out. Also, inflation eased, particularly later the year. That being said, consumers were…

In 2023, despite the end of the zero-COVID policy, skin care in China did not witness the anticipated strong rebound, but instead experienced a modest recovery in the low single digits in current value terms, with actual value sales remaining lower…

Beauty and personal care in Hong Kong greatly relies on tourism expenditure as a significant contributor to sales, representing at least 20% share pre-pandemic. The recovery of the tourism industry has played a crucial role in revitalising demand,…

People are becoming increasingly keen to care for their skin as they become more aware of the negative effects that pollution, stress, and lifestyle choices can have on skin health. Consumers in India are therefore increasingly turning to functional…

Skin care in Indonesia registered a healthy performance in both volume and current value terms in 2023, underpinned by a high level of interest among younger generations. Facial skin care represented by far the largest product area, and as such,…

In 2023, skin care continued to see current value growth in Japan due to the ongoing increase in awareness of self-care. In addition, from April 2023, all travellers entering Japan on direct flights from China were no longer required to present a…

While skin care in Kazakhstan saw moderate sales volume growth in 2023, its full potential was hampered by supply chain disruptions and raw material shortages. These challenges forced some consumers to switch from premium to more affordable brands,…

Anti-agers continued to thrive in Malaysia in 2023, driving overall growth and development for skin care and leading growth within the category in both volume and current value terms. Anti-agers benefits from regular and frequent new and innovative…

Skin care in Pakistan experienced robust growth in 2023, driven by a combination of factors including population expansion and the increasing participation of women in the workforce. With more women joining the workforce, there is a parallel rise in…

In Singapore, skin care saw continued current value growth in 2023, with facial care remaining the largest category and the primary growth driver. Growth was underpinned by several factors, including escalating concerns regarding beauty, health, and…

In 2023, overall skin care saw only low current value growth in South Korea. However, while mass skin care experienced solid growth, premium skin care recorded a second consecutive year of decline. Mass brands exhibited rapid development in terms of…

In 2023, skin care in Taiwan recorded positive retail value growth, with the majority of products recording positive volume sales. Dermocosmetics brands on the landscape have been actively educating consumers on specific ingredients, with brands…

In 2023 skin care in Thailand remained focused on the skinimalism trend, whereby the aim is to use relatively few steps in short but efficient skin care routines. The most important steps for Thai consumers are those centred on cleansing,…

Skin care in the Philippines saw a second year of positive growth in retail volume terms in 2023, following the challenges arising from the pandemic. Dermocosmetics brands saw a particularly strong performance, owing to their perception of providing…

Skin care in Uzbekistan experienced significant growth in 2023, particularly in the facial care area. Import stabilisation and improved product deliveries contributed to this surge, creating a positive market environment. Reductions in customs import…

Like other beauty and personal care categories, skin care in Vietnam benefitted from rising incomes and living standards in 2023. Local consumers are placing greater emphasis on their appearance and starting to use skin care products at earlier…

Sleep disorders were already in the spotlight after the outbreak of COVID-19, and demand for sleep aids rose, given the disruption to daily routines, coupled with long screen hours during the lockdowns. However, despite the easing of COVID-19…

The importance of mental health continues to command attention, with sleep being recognised as a crucial factor for maintaining overall wellbeing. The demand for products that address mental health concerns has surged in Hong Kong prompting…

In 2023, sleep aids is set to maintain positive retail volume and current value growth. Different ages have different needs when it comes to sleep; for example, younger children need around 10 hours of sleep, teenagers eight hours, adults six hours,…

The potential market for sleep aids is expanding in Japan off the back of an increasing number of consumers facing poor sleep quality and fewer hours of sleep. This drop in quality sleep is due in part to a rise in telecommuting and prolonged use of…

The pandemic brought about a lot of interest in the topic of immunity in the consumer health industry. Many pharmaceutical companies, including the renowned French company Sanofi, have started establishing vaccine facilities to combat future…

The lingering impact of the pandemic, greater exposure to digital screens, and generally fast-paced lifestyles are continuing to affect the local population’s ability to relax and sleep, with heightened stress known to be a major factor impacting…

While growth remains modest, sleep aids is set to record an improved result in volume sales terms in 2023. The easing of the pandemic has helped to lift demand, in that many people have started to experience insomnia and other types of sleep problems…

One of the more interesting aspects of the Philippine consumer health market is that the country is often the first territory that multinational companies launch new products in, especially those that represent a significant departure from the…

Having already recovered to pre-pandemic levels the previous year, demand for sleep aids in Vietnam continues to grow in 2023. Although both retail volume and value growth rates are slower compared to 2022, demand remains healthy. The waning impact…

Retail volume sales of small cooking appliances are expected to decline by a high single-digit rate in 2023. In the post-pandemic era, demand for small cooking appliances has weakened further, mainly because consumers are cooking less at home. With…

The retail volume growth rate of small cooking appliances is set to slow in 2023, with this trend also expected to continue in the near future. One of the key reasons for this is the removal of all pandemic restrictions, thus local consumers have…

Following the reopening of schools and offices, many local consumers have been returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles and thus are more pressed for time. With expansion of the employed female population, households are looking for appliances that allow…

The market for small cooking appliances in Indonesia continues to be dominated by two products, namely freestanding hobs and rice cookers. These products are considered essential by most consumers and as such, saw an increase in demand during the…

Small cooking appliances experienced dynamic growth in 2020, followed by a year of stagnation in 2021, as COVID-19 prevailed over the country in these two years. Home seclusion, or sugomori in Japanese, was a hot term back then. Households needed…