Czech Republic

Although the mortgage market began stabilising in March 2023, the drop in new mortgages during 2021 and 2022 led to a slowdown in the real estate market. This impacted built-in kitchen sales, challenging appliance manufacturers while leading to a…

Cordless mixers and blenders are yet to be popular in the Czech Republic, with many consumers preferring traditional models; not only because they are more affordable, but out of habit. Manufacturers will continue to offer cordless models, set to be…

The off-trade consumption of RTD tea continued to increase during 2023. While foodservice volume sales fell, this was following strong rebounds from the 2020 slump caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions on on-trade operations. As a result,…

The cost of living crisis continues to shape consumer lending in 2023. With double-digit inflation still in play, consumers are paying much higher prices for goods and services in the Czech Republic. Card lending is rising as consumers struggle with…

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,…

The rising purchase price of milk over 2022, motivated farmers to increase production. This increase was reflected on the consumer's side, with retail milk volume increasing in 2022. This was partly the result of population increase, with almost half…

Butter consumption in the Czech Republic was challenged following the surge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease in retail volume continued in 2022, with the significant increase in prices impacting sales, but in 2023, we expect the…

Having derived benefits from the search for products offering immunity and general health benefits in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, dietary supplements, as a whole, including herbal/traditional offerings, are seeing a slowdown in…

Dietary supplements enjoyed strong retail volume and current value growth in the wake of the Coronavirus COVID-19) pandemic. However, as the threat of the virus eased and related restrictions lifted, the category experienced stabilisation. Consumers…

Although sales of savoury snacks increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, a return to pre-pandemic levels of social activity has also benefited the category. Indeed, the decline in home consumption, for example while watching television…

Breakfast cereals recorded a decline in retail volume terms in 2023, as the cost of living crisis continued to impact consumer demand. Moreover, with wages decreasing in real terms, many consumers were forced to trade down to cheaper alternatives to…

As a result of inflation, many low- to middle-income Czech consumers have been discouraged from dining at foodservice establishments, leading to a concomitant increase in home cooking. This benefits chilled ready meals and soups, which offer busy…

The global supply chain for edible oils has been heavily disrupted by the ongoing war in Ukraine. This has led to a significant increase in production, packaging, transport, energy, and labour costs, which in turn has led to soaring retail prices for…

Monitors saw volume sales dip slightly in 2023 with business upgrades the main category growth driver. Overall, volume sales of monitors remain well above pre-pandemic levels following the strong growth in 2020 and 2021 as lockdowns encouraged sales…

Body shavers witnessed a further retail volume decline in 2023, as these products were fast-selling during the outbreak of COVID-19, in line with heightened time spent in the household. As such, body shavers saw a decline compared to the previous…

The demand for bottled water has remained stable, with moderate-to-minor changes in the review period. For example, in 2022 and during 2023 there have been slight increases in consumption. Even with high inflation and increases in prices in the last…

A recovery in consumer demand in 2022 enabled the fashion industry to rebound, although high inflation, geopolitical challenges and the energy crisis affected the cost of living and consumer behaviour in Q4. Although overall business results were…

Historically, herbal/traditional products account for the vast majority of sleep aids sold in the Czech Republic. Indeed, until slightly prior to the beginning of the review period, herbal/traditional products accounted for all retail sales of sleep…

Digestive remedies received a fillip in 2022 as international travel continued to return to pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels. Despite the high inflation rate in the country and globally, Czech consumers and their counterparts in other…

Retail volume consumption of sugar confectionery is expected to continue to recover in 2023. However, post-pandemic, the category will be affected to some extent by a general trend away from sugar confectionery, particularly in the case of boiled…

Soft drinks continued to be affected by high inflation, which started in 2022 and continued in 2023, leading to cost of living increases. The worsened economic situation saw demand fall in established categories, especially juice and carbonates,…

The demand for energy drinks continued to increase strongly even at a time of high inflation and a rising cost of living towards the end of the review period. This performance was influenced by people returning to offices and other jobs where they…

Retail volume sales of staple foods in the Czech republic suffered a decline in sales in constant value terms in 2023, in the face of the rising cost of living, which curbed consumer spending. The country’s post-pandemic recovery was also derailed by…

Debit cards are generally preferred to credit cards in the Czech Republic. In 2023, debit card transaction growth is being driven by the decline in cash transactions and the growing number of point-of-sale (POS) terminals in retail stores. In 2023,…

With the increased popularity of plant-based products, many people are making these products at home. This trend was mostly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people spent more time in the household; however, the worsening economic situation…

As the situation around COVID-19 began to resolve in 2022, people were returning to work. However, the war in Ukraine caused inflation, with the price of raw milk rising, hampering growth. Since products such as desserts, fromage frais and creams are…

Despite lower birth rates, growth in baby food is positive, with retail volume growth rising, despite the landscape seeing double-digit inflation throughout 2022. The increase in retail volume is aided by parents being back in the office, leading to…

Healthy lifestyle is the main driver behind the performance of sports nutrition in the Czech Republic. Sports nutrition consumers are more proactive than ever as they feel both positive and negative pressures regarding health and wellbeing. Factors…

In 2022, consumer health in the Czech Republic was challenged by medicine shortages, which, to some degree, continued in Q1 2023. The lack of some medicines in the Czech Republic and throughout Europe was caused by the disruption of global supply…

Demand for domestic tourism is benefiting from changing consumer behaviour, underlined by the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic years and the economic crisis. Czech consumers increasingly prefer shorter distances-something that was preferred in the…

Smartphones volume sales are declining for a second consecutive year in 2023. Supply side issues were problematic in 2022, with the global microchip shortage and rising overall production costs pushing up prices. In 2023, the volume decline is being…

Volume sales of digital cameras continues to fall in 2023, as competition from smartphones devastates this category. Smartphones have been a threat to this category for years, as their devices offer high-quality images and recording with increased…

Retail volume and value sales of small cooking appliances declined in 2023. As in other categories of consumer appliances, the COVID-19 pandemic drove forward purchases of small cooking appliances impacted by periods of home seclusion. Moving into…

Freestanding is the most popular format within refrigeration appliances, with 92% of overall volume in 2023. Built-in refrigeration appliances did not experience the same boom as freestanding refrigeration appliances did during COVID-19, as these…

Sales of home laundry appliances continued to slump in 2023, with many consumers having already updated their white goods during the lockdown-inspired home renovations. One of the trends seen during COVID-19 was a demand for quieter washing machines,…

Total volume sales of RTD coffee increased strongly during 2023. This was the case for off-trade volume sales, as consumers returned to the office and purchasing RTD coffee on impulse or on the go from retailers. However, on-trade volume sales of RTD…

Debit cards are generally preferred to credit cards in the Czech Republic. In 2023, debit card transaction growth is being driven by the decline in cash transactions and the growing number of point-of-sale (POS) terminals in retail stores. In 2023,…

Health and wellness soft drinks options remained in demand in 2022 in the Czech Republic, with current value growth driven by inflation and product innovation. A gradual shift from retail to on-trade was also visible, as Czech bars and restaurants…

A significant decrease in the birth rate (per ‘000 population) in 2022 is expected to be followed by a marginal drop over 2023. The demand for assisted reproduction increased by around 15% in 2022, compared to the previous year. However, since this…

In recognition of its long-term decline, in-car entertainment manufacturers are limiting their investments and fewer launches are occurring. The lingering economic uncertainty following the pandemic, compounded by global inflation and the war in…

The majority of TVs sold in Czech households have been replaced in recent years partly due to compliance with the new broadcast standard DVB-T2. With the wider offer of video-on-demand services, content in high definition, and the more frequent use…

The overwhelming optimism brought forth by end of the COVID-19 pandemic has been quickly hampered by a period of high inflation, rising energy costs and the war in Ukraine. Amid this climate, consumer electronics is witnessing a sizeable contraction…

There was an increase in retail volume sales of chocolate confectionery in 2023 due to two contributing factors. First, the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has seen much of the local workforce return to the office after working from home,…

Thanks to its natural and healthy product image, honey has benefitted from consumer concerns about wellbeing and immunity. Many local households purchase honey from local beekeepers, trusting the quality of local honey more than that which is sold in…

Pre-paid cards continued to perform well in 2023, with the number of cards in circulation rising steadily and transaction values registering double-digit growth. Digital solutions are performing well in pre-paid cards with Revolut, for example, using…

Rising health awareness in the Czech Republic continued to positively impact snacking trends in 2022. Natural ingredients, healthy positioning and product fortification remained in demand. These trends were further supported by new product launches,…

Luxury hotels see the slowest recovery due to a gradual return of foreign tourists to the Czech capital and growing inflationary pressure on overseas and domestic tourists, translating into lower spending power. The luxury category also shows the…

Difficult macroeconomic conditions and a high level of sales in the previous year mostly resulted in retail volume decline in 2023. Sales of wearable electronics are closely linked to the sale of smartphones, which did not perform well either.…

Portable players continue to grow in Czech Republic, although retail volume sales are driven exclusively by wireless speakers. E-readers continued to be substituted with smartphones and tablets, with volume sales continuing to decline. Czech…

Following a spike in sales during the outbreak of COVID-19, demand for robotic vacuum cleaners has lowered in 2023. The war in Ukraine and rising energy prices only accelerated this decline, with the product suffering from not being viewed as a…