China

Off-trade volume and current value sales of carbonates continued to see dynamic growth in China in 2023. Brands were able to maintain growth through innovations in areas such as sugar reduction and flavours. Sugar reduction (the use of sweeteners)…

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…

Energy drinks in China registered dynamic off-trade volume and current value growth in 2023, with growth rates exceeding those of most other soft drinks categories. Growth in energy drinks was driven by three main factors. The first was the recovery…

Juice in China saw off-trade volume and current value declines in 2023. This was mainly due to increasing health awareness amongst consumers, and therefore a decline in the popularity of juice drinks and nectars, which often have high sugar content…

As full reopening after COVID-19 was seen in the country in 2023, RTD coffee in China recorded single-digit growth in both off-trade volume and current value terms; however, sales remained below the 2021 level. RTD coffee experienced a decline in…

RTD tea in China saw slow off-trade volume growth in 2023, along with a stronger current value increase. Reduced sugar still RTD tea led growth in the category in this year, despite still only capturing a minor share of sales of overall RTD tea…

In 2023, soft drinks in China maintained low off-trade volume growth, and a stronger current value increase. Meanwhile, although on-trade volume sales of soft drinks continued to decline, it was at a much slower rate, and current value sales saw a…

Sports drinks in China saw significant off-trade volume and current value growth in 2021 and 2022, and growth continued in 2023, although at slower rates. This dynamism was due to comprehensive consumer education on the hydration benefits of…

Following impressive double-digit growth surpassing most beauty- and fashion-related categories in 2023, contact lenses in China is expected to return to stable mid-single-digit current value growth in 2024. On the one hand, the rapid expansion of…

In the post-pandemic era, while the impact of COVID-19 is gradually waning, the slowdown in China’s macroeconomic environment is influencing the overall consumer landscape. Overall eyewear in China is therefore set to see a slower but solid…

Following a rebound in 2023, which saw strong double-digit current value growth, spectacles in China is set to return to high single-digit growth in 2024, indicating a return to a more stable growth trajectory. In terms of category performances,…

Sunglasses in China is anticipated to continue growing in current value terms in 2024, albeit under the influence of market conditions, and it is not expected that sales will return to the level seen in 2021. Nevertheless, there are positive…

In 2023, retail volume sales of cigarettes in China maintained negligible growth. Cigarettes in China is strictly regulated by The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA). In recent years, cigarette production remained relatively stable. With…

Compared with cigarettes, cigars is still a niche category in China, with a relatively low penetration rate. This is primarily because the compact and convenient nature of cigarettes aligns better with consumers’ busy lifestyles and work rhythms.…

In 2023, e-vapour products in China witnessed an exceptional decline in retail current value sales, marking the lowest level of sales since 2014. This was due to the enforcement of “requirements of the Measures for the Administration of E-cigarettes”…

Tobacco in China saw a fairly stable performance in 2023, with volume sales increasing marginally across all categories except e-vapour products. Cigarettes continued to see slow increases in both retail volume and current value sales, driven by…

Total volume of alcoholic drinks in China saw a marginal rebound in 2023, shifting from decline in 2022 to a slight single-digit increase in 2023. However, the off-trade channel experienced a slight decrease in volume sales, while the on-trade…

In 2023, beer in China saw a slight rebound in total volume sales compared with 2022, mainly driven by the easing of pandemic restrictions and a return to growth in on-trade sales. However, total volume sales were still short of the 2019 figure in…

In 2023, cider/perry in China maintained high growth rates, with total volume and current value growth rates in the double digits. Particularly high growth was seen in the on-trade channel, with growth rates exceeding 20%. The strong growth of…

RTDs in China maintained strong growth in both off-trade volume and current value terms in 2023, with both increasing by double digits, with on-trade sales also rising. Generally, younger consumers of legal purchasing age in China are gradually…