Asia Pacific

Wipes in Azerbaijan was seeing moderate sales in 2023, with shrinkflation trends noted as players aim to protect their margins against cost hikes. In this way, players are able to avoid steep price increases and, instead, keep prices the same whilst…

In 2023, the 3-year growth streak for general purpose wipes ended as emergent demands coming from the pandemic saw sharp decline and the growth pattern for the category returned to normal. While personal hygiene awareness is here to stay, Chinese…

Convenience when travelling has become a significant factor in shaping consumer preferences, and one noticeable trend in 2023 was the rising popularity of smaller packaged wipes. These compact and portable wipes have gained popularity among…

In 2023, wipes maintained dynamic double-digit retail volume and current value growth in India. Sales of home care wipes and floor cleaning systems remained negligible in 2023, therefore all sales were accounted for by personal wipes. The surge in…

Wipes in Indonesia saw an increase in current value sales in 2023, sustaining the positive growth trajectory that has been observed throughout the review period. The COVID-19 pandemic, despite its many challenges, brought about a significant and…

Overall wipes continued to decline in current value terms in Japan in 2023, although at a slower rate than seen in the previous two years. However, performances differed across categories. While many saw decline, facial cleansing wipes and deodorant…

There was a significant fall in constant value sales in wipes in Kazakhstan in 2023. High inflation continue to impact profitability and also dampened volume sales. Only personal wipes registered any significant value sales and this was mainly baby…

Hygiene awareness was supporting sales in wipes in Malaysia in 2023. Notably, we see a healthy performance in personal wipes and intimate wipes, with the latter being attributed to greater numbers of women in the workforce (including in senior…

While value sales continued to be relatively low in 2023, wipes in Pakistan registered healthy volume growth, though constant value sales fell, as rising costs hit profitability. There is increased availability of various more affordable imported…

Wipes continued to grow in current retail value and retail volume across most categories in 2023, but growth was definitely led by current retail value, while retail volume growth was reduced to close to pre-pandemic levels. Wipes is facing strong…

In the dynamic landscape of wipes in South Korea, eco-friendly and biodegradable wipes are experiencing consistent growth. As environmental consciousness continues to gain prominence amongst consumers, there has been a notable and sustained uptick in…

Wipes in Taiwan saw a positive performance in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. The category remained dominated by personal wipes, notably general purpose wipes, which were second only to moist toilet wipes in terms of volume growth…

Wipes experienced a notable upswing in demand in 2023 driven by the versatility of these products, particularly in the context of their convenience for use while on the move but also at home. This increase in demand is reflective of evolving consumer…

Wipes in the Philippines saw buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023. Growth was supported by improved economic conditions and an increase in consumer mobility, as the country emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. There was also a persisting…

Sales in wipes were supported by ubiquitous baseline demand in 2023. Indeed, the usage of wipes has become an integral component of the daily routine for Uzbekistani consumers, in a trend which gained momentum during the pandemic, and which continues…

As hygiene and living standards improve in Vietnam, a growing number of consumers are now using wipes in their daily activities. Wipes have become particularly popular during periods of high air-pollution in the country’s larger cities with young…

With the end to the zero-COVID policy in the country, and the return to a more normal consumer environment, womenswear is expected to experience a substantial single-digit current value rebound in China in 2023, drawing close to the level of sales…

Womenswear is experiencing double-digit growth rate in 2023, following notable declines the previous year. Tourist consumption historically accounted for 20-30% of pre-pandemic sales in Hong Kong, and the return of tourists is set to become the main…

In 2023, a notable rise in social activities was observed, particularly with an increase in the number of women venturing out for work, which contributed to a significant surge in their spending on business attire, thereby fostering the growth of…

Retail sales of womenswear in Indonesia registered slower growth in both volume and constant value terms in 2023, when compared to the previous two years. While consumers became increasingly keen to travel, socialise and spend more time outside the…

Womenswear is set to see retail volume and current value growth in Japan in 2023, continuing the trend from 2022. Sales in the category experienced a significant decline in 2020, followed by a year of stagnation in 2021, as COVID-19 prevailed in the…

Sales of womenswear registered a second year of robust growth in 2023, with current value sales edging even closer to pre-pandemic levels. As the country emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysian women became increasingly keen to socialise and…

With restrictions and lockdowns having been fully lifted in Singapore, womenswear has been rebounding from the significant drop in sales seen in 2020 due to the pandemic. The category is still not expected to reach the pre-pandemic levels of retail…

Overall womenswear continues to post solid growth in 2023. However, both retail volume and current value growth rates are notably slower compared to the dynamic performance by womenswear in 2022. This is likely due to the fact that consumers’ pent-up…

Total volume sales growth for womenswear in Taiwan in 2023 is expected to be down slightly on the previous year. This is partly explained by the normalisation of consumption patterns following the impressive rebound that accompanied the easing of the…

Womenswear in Thailand is seeing a shift in demand towards multi-purpose products. Although fashion remains the key concern when people are purchasing womenswear, consumers are also showing more concern with regard to the item’s functionality. This…

Women in the Philippines are displaying a growing interest in expressing an authentic self and in accepting themselves, which is being expressed particularly through fashion. One notable reflection of this trend is a growing diversity in the…

Due to elevated inflation and a dismal economic outlook, people have been looking to save money and have been more cautious when it comes to spending on womenswear in 2023. Although the Vietnamese government temporarily reduced the VAT rate from 10%…

Price reigns supreme in sales of wound care in Azerbaijan in 2023. While growth in current value terms remains solid, retail volume sales continue to fall – in 2023, at a significantly faster rate than was seen in 2022. The main reason for this is…

China has been investing significantly in its healthcare infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics, which has been positively impacting the demand for medical supplies, including wound care products. In 2023 overall, an intriguing phenomenon is…

Lifted restrictions in post-pandemic Hong Kong meant increased outdoor and travel activities led to a higher demand for wound care products in 2022, particularly sticking plasters/adhesive bandages for emergency use. With the resurgence of outdoor…

The maturity of wound care in India is set to contribute to only low single-digit current value growth in 2023. As a mature category, it has already achieved saturation thanks to established products, preventing higher growth. Saturation also deters…

Wound care is set to see slow retail volume growth in 2023, along with slightly higher current value growth. Local consumers tend to use sticking plasters as a first recourse for treating slight punctures, cuts, and other wounds. Some parents carry…

Wound care tends to show high demand during the summer when more skin is exposed and opportunities for outdoor leisure and sports activities increase, with this increasing the risk of picking up injuries. Sales of wound care therefore benefited in…

After a brief rebound in 2022, overall retail volume sales of wound care are projected to resume their downward trajectory over 2023. Demand is generally supported by relatively inexpensive pricing for these products, and the rebound was mainly due…

Wound care continued to see positive growth in retail volume terms in 2023, as life returned to normal following the pandemic. With people spending more time outside the home, including taking part in sport, this led to an increase in the number of…

Despite the difficult economic conditions, including spiralling inflation and local currency devaluation, wound care is expected to registered moderate constant value growth. With society opened up fully, post pandemic lockdowns, there are more minor…

In Singapore, fluctuating community COVID-19 cases in 2020 and 2021 caused residents to become more reluctant to spend time outdoors. While there was a consistent interest in fitness for health improvement, many individuals formed the habit of…

The smaller value category of sticking plasters/adhesive bandages continues to see further product differentiation and development through material diversification to attract consumers with innovative formats. For instance, JW Pharmaceutical has been…

While wound care is poised to record a static performance in total volume sales terms in 2023, this will be an improvement from the declines witnessed over 2021-2022. Stockpiles accumulated by Taiwanese households during the early stages of the…

Retail sales of wound care products in Thailand experienced accelerated growth in current value terms in 2023, following the return of consumers to more active lifestyles outside the home. With the resumption of sports and other outdoor activities…

Wound care posted another moderate positive sales performance in the Philippines in 2023 as the category continued to benefit from the increasing numbers of consumers keeping a first aid kit in their home. In the past, wound care was rarely regarded…

Wound care is one of the least dynamic and saturated categories in consumer health in Uzbekistan, with retail volume and current value sales slowing in 2023. The category is dominated by budget offerings, including sticking plasters and tapes.…

The pandemic fostered a heightened sense of health consciousness among local consumers, prompting them to engage in various forms of exercise once restrictions were eased as they were able to spend greater time outside of the home. Popular outdoor…

With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the normalisation of offline classes, the supressed demand for writing instruments amongst students was released in 2023, when stores selling stationery reopened offline. However, online schooling during…

In 2023, writing instruments in Hong Kong experienced a resurgence, fuelled by the resumption of foot traffic and the expansion efforts of prominent retailers. Stationery Lo, a well-known chained retailer of writing instruments and non-grocery goods,…

The return to in-person schooling after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in India provided a boost to writing instruments in 2023, with double-digit current value growth maintained. With schools fully reopened, students are attending classes in…

Sales of writing instruments saw an improved performance in constant value terms in 2023, when compared to the previous year. This was partly attributable to the return of pre-pandemic lifestyles including the resumption of face-to face school…

According to Euromonitor’s Economies and Consumers data, the population aged 0-14 is set to decline by 2% between 2022 and 2023, accounting for only 11% of the total population in Japan. The total population of this age group has declined for 40…

Colourings, markers and highlighters were the most dynamic categories in writing instruments in 2023 with sales of these products thriving. This was partly due to a flurry of new product launches as players looked to benefit from the returning demand…