Austria

After two challenging years due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the recovery of apparel and footwear started in earnest in 2022, but retail volume sales did not return to the 2019 level. On the other hand, high inflationary pressure on…

Purchasers of childrenswear focused on quality and less at quantity as they became more mindful of personal finances and textile waste. Still high inflation in 2023 translated into retail current value growth, despite the decline in retail volume…

Footwear has been under particular stress with the shift from traditional leather shoes to other materials and sports shoes for many years. In particularly, children’s footwear has been under pressure, and it is projected to see the biggest decline…

Hosiery slowed down in Austria in 2023 in comparison with 2022, as the cost of living crisis instilled caution over spending among consumers. Additionally, consumers purchased more hosiery in 2022, after two years of reduced demand due to the…

Men’s jeans and women’s jeans are projected to see retail volume sales decline across price segments over 2023. In Austria, the purchase of new jeans was not a priority at the end of the review period, with many consumers already owing one or more…

As in womenswear, retail volume sales of menswear are projected to decline over 2023, as the category stabilised following rebounds, especially in 2022, from the Coronavirus (COVID-19)-induced slump in 2020. Moreover, economic uncertainty amid high…

Sportswear in Austria is starting to show signs of saturation after an excellent recovery from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Many consumers purchased sportswear/athleisure for comfort and ease during long periods at home in the wake of…

Retail volume sales of womenswear are projected to fall over 2023. This is partly due to stabilisation following two years of rebound, especially in 2022, from the slump recorded during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. However, demand has…

Although Austria enjoys solid economic freedom and a strong rule of law, a shift to the far right could create policymaking instability. Whilst unemployment is relatively low and inflation is falling, the economy is set for a marked slowdown in the…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

During 2022, convenience and health and wellness remained two of the most important megatrends influencing demand patterns among Austrian consumers and this combination of a desire to eat healthier types of convenience food supported strong growth in…

2022 saw further expansion of the subgroup of Austrian consumers who are paying significant attention to their physical and mental health and the role that their diet plays in maintaining good physical and mental health. This has supported rising…

Coffee remains the most popular and most commonly consumed hot drink in Austria. On average, Austrian consumers drink around three cups of coffee per day and it should therefore come as little surprise that many local consumers aim to integrate their…

Health and wellness savoury snacks remained highly popular among Austrian consumers at the end of the review period as significant numbers of local consumers looked to reduce their intake of snacks that are high in salt, fat and artificial…

A wide range of health and wellness soft drinks categories recorded positive retail volume growth in 2022 as consumers prioritised various health and wellness attributes when purchasing soft drinks. The increased interest in improving one’s diet to…

Animal welfare continues to play an increasingly important role in the grocery shopping decisions of Austrian consumers and this strong focus on animal welfare continues to have a positive impact on demand for health and wellness processed meat.…

Driven by a shift from cash to card payments, boosted by the outbreak of COVID-19 and the continuing recovery of travel, charge cards saw solid growth in transaction and value terms. However, growth was at a slower pace compared to credit and debit…

Driven by a general shift from cash to card payments, which was accelerated by the outbreak of COVID-19, and the continuing travel recovery, credit card transactions saw strong growth in 2023; in both the number of transactions and transition value…

Debit card transactions remained the main driver behind the shift from cash to card payments in 2023. Every bank account holder in Austria owns at least one debit card, which is heavily favoured for payments at the POS, with debit card consumers…

Although cash transactions continued to play a strong role in Austria, a clear shift from cash to card payments continued in 2023. The outbreak of COVID-19 in Austria further accelerated the change, with consumers appreciating the contactless form of…