Costa Rica

Depilatories in Costa Rica showed a markedly improved performance in volume terms in 2023, with overall sales increasing at a double-digit rate following marginal growth in 2022. This was partly explained by the strong recovery in consumer confidence…

Products with more innovative and distinctive functional claims continued to win over new consumers in deodorants in Costa Rica in 2023. One of the most notable examples was Speed Stick Carbon Absorb, which is made with activated charcoal and…

Demand for polishes has remained steady over the review period, as consumers continue to regularly use floor and furniture polish, as part of their cleaning routine. That being said, volume growth was muted, as competing products such as surface care…

Value sales for bleach continued to slow, and consumers increasingly favoured less toxic home care products. Bleach has been cast in a negative light in terms of environmental and also health impacts. As such, consumers are looking to reduce bleach…

Baby wipes continued to record positive retail value growth in Costa Rica in 2023. These products benefit from having a versatile nature, being widely employed for various non-baby related uses. Brands like Scott, for instance, have introduced wipes…

Dishwashing registered healthy volume growth in 2023, as price increases eased. Hand dishwashing continued to account for most value sales and also registered the highest value and volume growth. As such, value sales for automatic dishwashing…

The premium segment continued to outperform its mass counterpart in volume and current value growth terms in fragrances in Costa Rica in 2023. While this was mainly because sales in the former were increasing from a much lower base, premium brands…

Sun care in Costa Rica showed an improved performance in volume growth terms in 2023. This was partly due to a steep drop in inflation, which caused current value growth to slow significantly from 2022 but bolstered purchasing power among consumers.…

Conventional products continued to face growing competition from dermocosmetics in skin care in Costa Rica in 2023, with this trend remaining most visible in the premium segment. Recent years have seen dermocosmetic varieties offered by brands like…

While there was still economic uncertainty, inflationary pressure eased significantly in 2023, even falling into deflation territory for part of the year. With the improved economic situation, home care registered healthy current value and modest…

In 2023, retail tissue in Costa Rica recorded positive retail value growth. Due to rising prices, consumers were increasingly seeking savings without compromising the quality of their retail tissue products. Consumers in Costa Rica expect a certain…

Air care was the weakest performer in terms of volume growth in 2023. While air care registered both high current and constant value growth, volume growth was marginal. The increased prices dampened volume demand and consumers prioritised essential…

Global players such as Colgate, Listerine and Oral-B continued to dominate oral care in Costa Rica in 2023 due to their trusted reputations for quality and efficacy, broad product ranges and extensive distribution coverage. However, a number of…

Shampoos was the most dynamic of the main hair care categories in Costa Rica in terms of volume and current sales growth in 2023. Together with the fact that these products are considered a basic necessity by most consumers, it continued to benefit…

Laundry care registered healthy current and constant value growth in 2023, though volume growth was much more muted. Powder detergent continued to be the most popular format, followed by liquid detergent. Liquid detergent, however, registered the…

Longwear products continued to gain popularity across colour cosmetics in Costa Rica in 2023. The resumption of pre-pandemic routines was a key driver of demand, in that appreciation for the convenience of longer-lasting formulas increased as…

Volume growth in toilet care was muted. Two factors led to the muted growth. With the pandemic having passed, there was less frenetic cleaning. In addition, with inflation still being relatively high, consumers traded down as much as possible and…

Menstrual care in Costa Rica recorded double-digit retail value growth in 2023, driven by prices and the essential nature of the products. To aid sales, sanitary pads, tampons and panty liners had a VAT rate of 1% from 1 February 2023, down from the…

Overall, surface care registered muted volume growth in 2023. However, given the diversity of this product area, some products performed better than others. Reckitt Benckiser continued to have a strong lead in surface care, thanks to its wide…

There were significant price rises for home-insecticides in 2023, and in particular for spray/aerosols, as supply chain disruptions still lingered and this resulted in high current and constant value growth. However, despite significant price…

In 2023, retail adult incontinence products in Costa Rica recorded strong levels of double-digit retail value growth. This growth was driven by high price points, in addition to the ageing population, which is fuelling the demand for adult…

Carbonates saw a surprisingly strong sales performance over the review period, in both the off- and on-trade channels, with volume growth remaining positive for the second consecutive year. Consumers have continued to purchase carbonates as unit…

Beer registered healthy volume growth in 2022. Part of the reason for the positive performance was increased socialising, as society fully opened up post pandemic lockdowns. The FIFA World Cup in December also contributed to the high levels of…

RTDs in Costa Rica are growing in popularity, especially among younger generations as they are often sweet, also often have low-calorie content and a low ABV, especially RTDs such as hard seltzers. Parents also like RTDs as introductory drinks for…

The juice category was negatively affected by the high inflation affecting the country, with some of the highest unit price increases within soft drinks being applied to juices. In addition to persistent inflationary pressures, issues regarding the…

In 2023, coffee prices began to normalise in the country, with much slower inflation taking hold from July 2023. Consequently, most consumers began to return to previous consumption patterns, creating a favourable impact on retail volume growth in…

Current value sales are expected to increase, along with a slight increase in volume sales. While there is still economic uncertainty, as a result of rising inflation, the growth in inflation is expected to ease. That being said, consumers are…

Increased socialising and the return to post-pandemic habits is supporting the snacks category in 2023. Although inflation continues to cut into discretionary incomes and consumers remain price sensitive, most consumers have become accustomed to…

Spirits registered very healthy double-digit volume growth in 2022. Part of the reason for the positive performance was increased socialising, as society fully opened up post pandemic lockdowns. The return of foreign tourists also contributed to the…

Nappies/diapers/pants recorded positive retail value growth in 2023 in Costa Rica. Despite rising prices, brand loyalty is generally strong in nappies/diapers/pants, where Huggies and Pampers are the leading choices, and consumers are generally…

Consumers having less disposable income has impacted their purchasing habits in 2023, including their choices regarding healthcare products and vitamins. Rather than investing in preventative measures like vitamins, consumers are opting for more…

As consumers face stress due to economic uncertainty and skin imbalances after COVID-19, many suffer from hair loss, helping category growth. While some consumers opt for dietary supplements to avoid hair loss, others turn to shampoos or other…

In keeping with the trend observed earlier in the review period, multifunctional men’s grooming products continued to gain popularity in Costa Rica in 2023. Prominent examples included a Nivea Men liquid soap that is suitable for cleansing the body,…

Rising inflation has caused consumers to be increasingly stressed in 2023, with rising price points and ongoing economic uncertainty negatively impacting lives. This ongoing uncertainty has led to an increase in physical discomforts; often in the…

Although socialising and post-pandemic celebrations improved in 2022, severe pressures on discretionary incomes and negative press surrounding the hazards of smoking limited overall tobacco consumption. Price has become a buzzword in 2022 with Costa…

Retailing in Costa Rica was challenged in 2022, with rising inflation and price hikes impacting consumer buying habits. In addition, high levels of unemployment in the country continued to impact household budgets, shaping purchasing decisions. This…

Beauty and personal care in Costa Rica recorded a slowdown in total current value sales growth in 2023, but saw total volume sales rebound at an impressive pace following a marginal decline in 2022. These results reflected a rapid reduction in…

Persistent inflationary pressures in the country have affected the concentrates category, especially powder concentrates that also saw an increase in the cost of raw materials over the review period. Players largely absorbed these higher production…

High inflation impinged on Costa Rican household budgets in 2022, prompting more consumers to trade down to cheaper cigarette brands. Often, the more economical options are illegal cigarettes that come from India and South Korea via the Colón Free…

During the early stages of the pandemic, bath and shower manufacturers in Costa Rica scrambled to develop new antibacterial varieties and update packaging designs to highlight the germ-killing capabilities of established products. This trend was…

In 2023, retail value growth was positive for tissue and hygiene in Costa Rica, with inflation and rising price points driving results. In 2022, Costa Rica experienced the highest inflation in over a decade, marking a significant economic shift. This…

The tea category did not experience the marked price increases seen in coffee. Instead, tea unit prices increased at a more modest pace, with the category poised to see prices fall in the coming years, in line with the consumer price index. Overall,…

Political stability and better government finances are adding to economic freedom in Costa Rica, but corruption is on the rise. Foreign investors continue to flock to the country, but the economy is moderating and prices are falling. Discretionary…

Consumers continue to conscious about discretionary income in 2023, with the higher price of gum an issue for the less affluent. Gum is not an essential item among Costa Ricans, and so it is easy to reduce consumption, and instead, is more popular as…

Wine registered very healthy volume growth in 2022. Part of the reason for the positive performance was increased socialising, as society fully opened up post pandemic lockdowns. The return of foreign tourists also contributed to the growth, as well…

Kids' cereals have long been a popular choice among parents, as they offer a convenient and enjoyable breakfast option for their children. In 2023, innovation from established brands is driving consumer interest, such as General Mill’s Trix Bunnies…

Honey is expected to register the highest current value growth, Consumers perceive honey as a healthy option as it is a natural product which is rich in minerals, vitamins and trace elements and as such honey continues to perform well. That being…

While current value sales are expected to increase, volume sales are expected to register a decline, as continuing rising prices dampens volume sales somewhat. In particular, the largest product in terms of volume sales, that is condensed milk, drags…

In the post-pandemic era, Costa Ricans have resumed sports and exercise regimes, including group activities and competitions. Sports drinks has benefited from this return to normalcy as consumers use them to fuel during sports and/or refuel after…

After the strong price rises seen in 2022, consumers have welcomed the lower prices emerging in bread during 2023. The reduction in value added tax (IVA) in February 2023 and the improvement in global wheat supply has enabled retailers to reduce…