Eastern Europe

While unit prices of most other consumer goods saw double-digit percentage growth rates, in line with inflation, the unit prices of alcoholic drinks saw more moderate growth since many of the major brands are of domestic origin and were able to limit…

As COVID-19 fears subsided in 2022 there was a strong desire among many Serbian consumers to start socialising again with this helping to stimulate on-trade volume growth with sales fully recovering after the significant decline seen during 2020.…

Alcoholic drinks, as a product area, in Slovakia experienced the impact of weakened purchasing power among Slovak consumers in 2022. However, the price growth in the industry was relatively slower compared to other sectors. This can be attributed to…

Alcoholic drinks has recovered to pre-pandemic sales levels in volume and value terms, with consumption rising following the abolishment of social and travel restrictions. Horeca establishments were open without any limitations in 2022 enabling…

Beer continued to see moderate total volume growth in 2022 and high inflation impacted average unit prices. The category is still performing below pre-pandemic levels mainly due to limited on-trade performance, which continues to recover slowly post…

Serbians returned to the on-trade in greater numbers in 2022 as COVID-19 fears subsided and restrictions were lifted with this continuing to drive volume sales of beer. Lager remains by far the most popular beer in Serbia, although smaller beer…

Total volume sales of beer recorded a decline in 2022 due to the increasing prices of beer units. With inflation in Slovakia reaching double-digit growth, it has become more challenging for consumers to afford the same quantities of non-essential…

The inflation rate increased sharply in 2022 leading to double-digit growth in beer unit prices. Nevertheless, soaring beer prices have not heavily affected demand for beer, with volume growth rates elevated compared to 2021 levels. The recovery in…

Due to ongoing consumer demand, cider/perry sales continued to show growth in 2022, albeit at a rate in the single-digit percentage range. This contrasts with earlier in the review period when growth was in the double and even triple-digit…

Cider/perry in Serbia continued to see strong and stable volume growth in total volume terms in 2022, although growth continued to come from a small consumer base. The on-trade channel witnessed stronger volume and value growth although this was…

Cider in Slovakia has experienced a decline in volume demand due to strong competition from trendier products, particularly non-alcoholic beer and RTDs. This trend predates the pandemic and has been amplified by rising production costs and a decrease…

The cider category has seen robust growth in volume and current value terms in 2022, with the strongest performance seen in the on-trade. Horeca establishments opened throughout the year without restrictions from COVID-19. A strong tourist season…

Growing consumer demand for convenient RTDs contributed to the category’s ongoing post-pandemic recovery in 2022, with sales significantly surpassing 2019 pre-COVID levels. Younger consumers in particular increasingly opt for drinks with lower…

As seen across alcoholic drinks in Serbia, the growth of RTDs was driven by a further recovery in on-trade volume sales in 2022. With COVID-19 fears subsiding and restrictions lifted consumers spent more time outside the home socialising and going to…

In Slovakia, the rising inflation and production costs have led to an increase in retail unit prices for RTDs, which had a negative impact on demand in 2022. Despite the weaker economic power of Slovak consumers, both volume and value sales of RTDs…

Spirit-based RTDs is the fastest growing subcategory, registering double-digit sales increases in volume and value terms. New product development is noticeable in spirit-based RTDs, with companies like Dana doo expanding outside its core business of…

Total volume growth in spirits remains positive in 2022 as the category continued to recover from the pandemic. Moreover, the double-digit inflation that led to increased prices across many other consumer goods categories was less visible within…

Spirits registered strong growth in total volume terms in 2022 with this being driven by the continued recovery of the on-trade channel after the negative impact of the pandemic. On-trade sales of spirits continued to recover in 2022 as Serbians…

Spirits manufacturers are seeking opportunities in new industries following the saturation of the disinfectant market in 2021, which resulted in intense price competition. Leading local spirits company St Nicolaus Trade, for example, ventured into…

The spirits category recovered from the pandemic in 2022, with current value and volume sales surpassing 2019 levels. Inflation and higher unit prices were also drivers of current value sales in 2022. Despite making a strong recovery, sales of…

Total volume growth was robust in 2022 thanks to the enduring popularity of wine among local consumers in North Macedonia, which is well known for its wine drinking and production. The impact of inflation on consumption and prices was moderate. Unit…

Wine saw healthy growth in total volume terms in 2022 with sales boosted by a further recovery in sales through the on-trade. With COVID-19 fears subsiding and restrictions lifted consumers started to return to their old pre-pandemic lifestyles which…

The grape harvest of 2022 proved to be mostly disappointing for vineyards, with extreme droughts negatively impacting overall yields. However, the warmer weather, comparable to Southern European regions, allowed wine makers to produce more speciality…

On-trade wine sales enjoyed a strong recovery in 2022, pushing overall wine volumes sales well above pre-pandemic levels. A significant recovery was seen in the Horeca channel as all COVID-19 restrictions were removed for the full year. There is a…

The Latvian economy began to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, but witnessed further instability from the geopolitical problems caused by the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, alcoholic drinks reaped the benefits of the eased pandemic…

Alcoholic drinks saw steady growth in total volume terms in 2022. After the turmoil seen during the pandemic, sales began to stabilise in 2022 as COVID-19 fears subsided and restrictions were eased and consumers began to return to their old…

The beer category made a considerable recovery in 2022, with on-trade establishments fully re-opened from March 2022 as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were relaxed. On-trade volume sales soared as consumers returned to bars and restaurants, keen to…

2022 was a very good year for beer in Lithuania with sales seeing strong growth through both the off-trade and on-trade in volume terms. Life in Lithuania largely returned to relative normality in 2022 after the country’s pandemic restrictions were…

Cider witnessed strong growth in 2022 and continued to gain back the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The consumer foodservice industry returned to operating at full capacity in 2022, leading to a resurgence in demand for cider, which is…

Sales of cider/perry declined in 2022 after a brief revival in fortunes in 2021. Cider/perry has struggled to establish as significant demand as in other markets with it having a bad reputation for its high sugar content. With consumers becoming…

RTDs have a strong presence in Latvia, where the category is well developed compared to the neighbouring Lithuanian market. With an array of brands vying for share, this is a saturated category where local manufacturers have carved out strong…

RTDs saw heavy losses in total volume terms in 2022. In Lithuania, unlike in neighbouring Latvia, the category has a poor reputation with many consumers avoiding RTDs due to the perceived high sugar level in these drinks. Concerns over rising obesity…

2022 was a good year for the spirits category in Latvia following the relaxation of pandemic restrictions, with horeca establishments able to work at full capacity from March 2022. As a result, spirits sales grew significantly in the on- and…

Sales of spirits declined in off-trade and on-trade volume terms in 2022. The category experienced a strong rebound in demand in 2021 boosted by the easing of restrictions and consumers returning to on-trade outlets. However, with life in Lithuania…

Wine sales demonstrated good results in 2022 once pandemic-related restrictions had eased and consumers were able to pursue a greater degree of normality in their lives. Consumers returned to on-trade establishments in larger numbers in 2022…

Wine sales declined in 2022 after couple of good years for sales in Lithuania. The pandemic was an important factor in this renaissance in 2020 and 2021 as consumers were forced to spend more time at home. This led to a trend towards buying wine to…

Inflation and rising prices of most products, coupled with an increasing cost of living in 2023, negatively impacted consumer confidence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, a negative demographic trend affecting the country contributed to the…

Alcoholic drinks in Bulgaria was heavily influenced by price increases in 2023, due to the prevalence of high inflation. The second half of the year saw inflation start to fall, but this had little impact on retail prices, which continued to rise in…

A combination of forces shaped the market for alcoholic drinks in Hungary in 2023. People were happy to break free from any COVID-19 related restrictions and live their social lives as they used to be. This was paralleled by the large pent-up demand…

Sales of alcoholic drinks declined both in off-trade and on-trade volume terms in Poland in 2023. At the same time, alcoholic drinks saw strong growth in total current value terms. This was the result of a significant increase in the prices of…

Adults in the Czech Republic consumed lower quantities of alcoholic drinks in 2023 due to the difficult economic climate and the growing preference for beverages with lower alcohol content. High inflation and the rising cost of living hindered…

One significant trend observed in beer in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023 was the challenge posed by market saturation and escalating prices. As consumer preferences continued to evolve, the product area faced a decline in overall demand, particularly…

In 2023, beer consumption in Bulgaria decreased resulting in a decline in off-trade volume sales. Bulgarians spent more time out of the home and increased their level of domestic and foreign travel, thus lowering at-home beer consumption. The…

Beer saw volume sales fall significantly in Hungary in 2023. Brewers held high expectations of restoring volume sales back to pre-pandemic levels during the year. However, these efforts fell short, and the beer market experienced a decline at the…

Sales of beer declined in 2023 in on- and off-trade volume terms as high inflation and rising living costs restricted consumer purchasing power. With money being tight many consumers were forced to focus on basic necessities and therefore they were…

Beer in the Czech Republic came under further pressure in 2023, with on-trade volumes declining. Stubbornly high inflation continued to impact Czech consumers with the cost-of-living creating a tougher economic environment in 2023. The on trade has…

Consumer demand for cider/perry in Bosnia and Herzegovina tends to be highly volatile, given that this category is small within alcoholic drinks. In 2023, even minor changes and shifts had significant impacts on the category's performance. Following…

In 2023, the cider/perry category in Bulgaria witnessed strong growth in retail volume terms, thereby exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The development of this category is a result of the global trend towards low-alcohol and long drinks, especially…

Cider/perry saw a rise in total volume sales in Hungary in 2023. Cider, a relatively new category in the Hungarian alcoholic drinks market, remains a small segment compared to beer, but is growing, in contrast to alcoholic flavoured/mixed lagers,…

Cider/perry is a declining category, with a lack of interest or investment that could help stimulate sales. Due to falling demand, retail chains are reducing the shelf space provided for cider/perry, especially discounters, some of which have even…