Asia Pacific

In 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding lockdown measures, which affected consumers’ in-store shopping, and led to disruptions in product transportation for e-commerce platforms, sweet spreads experienced retail volume and current…

The revenge travel trend has continued in 2023, due to the broader reopening of Hong Kong after the pandemic, which has allowed consumers to travel abroad, with Japan emerging as a key destination. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the…

The growth of convenient Western breakfasts such as bread, buns, and breakfast cereals in India has emerged as a pivotal driver for the rising popularity of sweet spreads, including chocolate spreads, jams, and nut and seed based spreads. The…

In 2023, the sweet spreads category experienced another year of positive growth, both in volume and value terms. Jam and preserves and especially nut and seed based spreads put in strong performances during the year. One of the main factors behind…

Sweet spreads is set to see slight growth in retail current value terms in Japan in 2023. However, this growth is mainly due to price increases for sweet spreads, and retail volume sales are expected to see another year of decline, primarily due to…

There was a significant price increase in the sweet spreads category in 2022 due to a rise in the cost of import-dependent raw materials and logistics. In 2023, however, prices stabilised as a result of a decline in inflationary processes in the…

Retail volume sales of sweet spreads declined significantly in 2023. Sweet spreads such as jams and preserves, as well as nut and seed based spreads, are mainly consumed with bread for breakfast, with local consumers preferring artisanal bread with…

Rising inflation and a shift towards the purchase of essential food items has resulted in a conservative approach to spending in 2023, leading consumers to opt for more cost-effective options. As a result, chocolate spreads, which are considered more…

The consumption of sweet spreads in Singapore is largely limited to breakfast occasions, and typically applied to toast. Hence, it is challenging for the category to achieve greater penetration in the local market or record stronger growth. In…

Alongside the home café trend, a notable shift has occurred in bakery products, transcending the long-held bias that bread cannot serve as a meal replacement - often referred to as the “breadcrumbs prejudice”. This shift emphasises the savoury,…

The demand for sweet sauces has reverted to normal consumption patterns following the pandemic, driven further by consumers actively seeking lower sugar options. The overall market is now in a state of supply and demand equilibrium. The trend of…

Sweet spreads is seeing stronger retail value growth compared to retail volume, due to price rises in the category. Health trends are also evident in sweet spreads, as many products contain high levels of sugar (e.g., jams and preserves and chocolate…

Sweet spreads is benefitting from consumers’ return to out-of-home lifestyles, notably with children back to school and employees back to work. In this sense, chocolate spreads and nut and seed based spreads are seeing healthy volume and value…

The sweet spreads category is witnessing a recovery in volume sales in 2023 as retail prices stabilize relative to 2022 levels. Retail prices had soared in 2022 due to the rising cost of raw materials (sugar, fruits), as well as logistics and…

Healthy eating trends are influencing sweet sauces, such as seen with the rising popularity of nut and seed based spreads, as evidenced by the subcategory showing the most robust value growth and with volume also on an upwards trajectory. A further…

Glass jars remained the leading pack type for sweet spreads packaging in China at the end of the review period. This was due to glass jars being highly favoured for their ability to preserve the freshness and flavour of sweet spreads, providing an…

Glass jars remained the dominant packaging type for sweet spreads in Hong Kong in 2023, despite the rigid plastic pack types – PET bottles and PET jars – continuing to gain share. Glass jars are preferred for their ability to showcase the product's…

Total packaging volumes for sweet spreads continued to grow dynamically in 2023, as Indian consumers’ awareness of Western diets continued to increase. Rapid urbanisation and exposure to global culture also helped drive this trend, while hectic…

Demand for honey is being supported by the rising health awareness trend in the country, which was bolstered by the onset of the pandemic. Many Indonesian consumers have developed the habit of consuming honey on a daily basis in the hope of…

Total sweet spreads packaging saw growth in Japan in 2023. Although it saw a minor decline in packaging volumes in 2023, glass jars remained by far the most popular pack type within sweet spreads, accounting for nearly half of total packaging…

In 2023, glass jars remained the dominant packaging type for sweet spreads. Jams and preserves dominate sweet spreads packaging in Malaysia, with glass jars the dominant pack type in this category. Glass is an inert material, meaning it does not…

Despite a marginal decline in 2022 compared to the surge in demand during the pandemic and subsequent home seclusion, retail unit volumes of nuts and seed based spreads packaging, the largest category in sweet spreads packaging in Singapore, remained…

After seeing dynamic growth in 2020, and a further increase in 2021, total sweet spreads packaging turned to decline in 2022, although volumes remained well above the pre-pandemic level, and honey was the only category to see a decline. Indeed,…

Albeit growing from a small base in Thailand, consuming chocolate spreads with bread has been increasing in popularity, particularly among children. In addition, the range of such products that are available in various retail channels has been…

Glass jars, PET jars and thin wall plastic containers are the most commonly used pack types in chocolate spreads due to a combination of practicality and consumer preferences. Glass jars provide an attractive and sturdy packaging option that…

The growth in honey packaging within sweet spreads packaging in Vietnam is due to rising awareness among Vietnamese consumers of the health benefits of honey, such as its natural sweetness and potential medicinal properties. As consumers seek…

The Taichung in Taiwan 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 Taipei in Taiwan 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,…

Taipei and Hsinchu emerge as Taiwan's most economically thriving cities, while Taoyuan exhibits the greatest potential for future economic expansion. Nevertheless, Taiwanese cities will face ongoing challenges. In the short term, these include a…

Depopulation in Taiwan up to 2040 will be driven by natural decrease as already low birth rates fall further and death rates rise. Rapid increases in older groups illustrates the ageing trend which will impact consumer lifestyles and spending habits,…

Emerging Asia has been one of the most exciting regions in emerging markets during the last two decades and this trend is expected to continue, though the pace of growth has slowed down as the economies transform and mature. By 2040, emerging Asia…

The Tashkent in Uzbekistan 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,…

After sales were badly hit by Coronavirus (COVID-19) in 2020, albeit more significantly in foodservice than retail, they recovered in 2021, with further positive growth expected over the forecast period. Green tea, which is important in Japan, but…

Tea is an important part of daily life in Azerbaijan, where it is offered as a gesture of hospitality and forms a key part of its culture. Retail volume sales remain steady in 2023, despite the high levels of inflation still impacting the country,…

Tea is set to register mid single-digit retail current value growth in China in 2023, along with slower retail volume growth, with foodservice volumes also expected to continue to rebound. Actual retail value growth is mainly attributable to black…

Despite the traditional nature of tea, it is continuing to constantly evolve to maintain consumer demands. Tea Château’s unconventional tea capsules have been well-received, with the brand launching new flavours throughout the year. In addition to…

India, a vast and diverse country, has seen leading players adapting to its rich tapestry by offering diverse products and tailored marketing strategies to meet the preferences of its consumers. Notably, Tata Consumer Products and Hindustan Unilever…

Tea experienced another year of positive, albeit modest growth, in retail volume terms in 2023, with demand exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Growth was boosted by the tendency of players to offer tea bags in more economical packaging, as well cut-price…

Retail volume sales of tea are set to record a third consecutive year of decline in 2023, with sales expected to fall across most categories. This is due partly to the convenience trend, as consumers are choosing RTD tea as it is a more convenient…

In 2023, tea is expected to register further moderate volume growth with a slight decline in price growth in comparison with 2022. The tea culture is strongly developed in Kazakhstan and tea remains the most consumed hot drink by far due to the…