Eastern Europe

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

Now in its seventh edition, this report explores the top digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this edition touch on topics such as second-hand shopping, community group buying,…

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in business models and consumer behaviour, as well as altering the ways and the geography many of us live, work, study and play. Understanding what changes will stick after the pandemic…

As the COVID-19 pandemic drives seismic shifts across consumer markets, the key question facing business strategists is which of these changes are more reactionary in nature versus signalling the start of a long-term behavioural shift. This briefing…

As consumers prepare fewer meals overall, while demanding more assistance for the ones they do, spending and brand equity will accrue to those companies providing fresh prepared meals on demand, from delivery aggregators to retailers, restaurant…

Street stalls/kiosks has historically been a particularly strong consumer foodservice channel in Ukraine, with it being the largest channel in terms of number of transactions prior to the pandemic. Since 2020 the channel has been under significant…

Though not immune from the cost-of-living crisis, street stalls/kiosks was among the categories that profited most in 2023 as rising prices and falling disposable incomes made Czech consumers more inclined to favour cheaper foodservice options. It…

With inflation continuing to be high in 2023, street foods/kiosks were a popular choice, as such offerings tends to be more economical than other foodservice options. Street stall operators do not have the same expenses in terms of rent etc and…

The value sales increase for street stalls/kiosks was the consequence of increased mobility, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022. Players benefited from high footfall, with street stalls/kiosks being a popular option for purchasing…

Street stalls/kiosks was among the better performing areas of Poland’s foodservice market in 2023, in part because comparatively low prices ensured it was somewhat less exposed to the cost-of-living crisis. Given the importance of on-the-go…

Street stalls/kiosks run by entrepreneurs and small businesses were among the most vulnerable players within consumer foodservice in 2023. The sales performance of street stalls/kiosks is highly dependent on changing traffic patterns, the weather and…

In 2023, street stalls/kiosks continue to rebound from the steep sales declines seen at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong double-digit value growth is further supported by rising unit prices and the impact of inflation. The market has already…

Self-service cafeterias in Ukraine continues to be a highly fragmented category, mostly consisting of no-frills establishments serving lunchtime offerings. Most of these establishments are fairly traditional with less reliance on technology than…

Because self-service cafeterias have a comparatively affordable positioning and are perceived to offer good value for money, this category was not as negatively affected by the cost-of-living crisis as some other areas of the Czech foodservice market…

On the one hand, self-service cafeterias benefited from their competitive prices in 2023, with consumers being highly price sensitive consumers in face of continuing high inflation. As daily menu prices increased in restaurants, some consumers…

The dynamics of self-service cafeterias in 2023 were impacted by the lifting of COVID-19 restriction in 2022, with consumers returning to office work. As such, office employees were the main customers of self-service cafeterias, which offer cooked…

Self-service cafeterias was one of the strongest performers among the main foodservice categories in Poland in terms of growth in transactions and current value sales in 2023. Like limited-service restaurants, it weathered the cost-of-living crisis…

Self-service cafeterias made price adjustments of between 20-30% during 2023, as soaring inflation pushed up the costs of vital ingredients, such as meat and pasta. Simultaneously, heightened labour and energy costs further contributed to this…

Boosted by significant price hikes and the inflation, self-service cafeterias is achieving very strong value growth as consumer demand continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. As no further pandemic-related restrictions have been…

This report considers what socialising will look like in a post-COVID-19 era, focusing on several key questions. A return to the “Roaring Twenties” in the beverages space or a continuing decimation of the on-trade? How has socialising changed (eg…

Russia’s war in Ukraine has created challenging economic conditions and a difficult operating environment which has presented significant obstacles for players operating within limited-service restaurants. Sales plummeted in value and volume terms in…

Current value and transaction growth rates for limited-service restaurants in the Czech Republic in 2023 were down substantially on the previous two years. This was partly due to the stabilisation of consumption patterns following a post-pandemic…

While inflation remained high in 2023, government measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector benefitted limited-service restaurants. In particular, the reduced 10% VAT rate (from a previous 20%), which was introduced during the pandemic, was…

The positive performance of limited-service restaurants in 2023 was aided by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022, allowing limited-service restaurants to appeal through the convenience they provide. In addition, the high cost of living…

Limited-service restaurants in Poland saw growth in transactions and current value sales slow in 2023 as stubbornly high inflation continued to drive up menu prices and make consumers more cautious in their spending habits. However, the downturn was…

Soaring inflation pushed menu prices in limited-service restaurants to new highs in 2023, although operators are always careful when considering price adjustments, especially for their signature meals. Core target audiences, such as students and…

Although badly hit by Coronavirus (COVID-19), limited-service restaurants (LSR) was the least-impacted consumer foodservice channel by the pandemic in 2020. With takeaway and home delivery services either already in place or quickly added during…

With no pandemic-related movement and travel restrictions mandated by the government, foodservice continues to recover in 2023. Limited-services restaurants, in particular, are recording strong value growth as a result of strong and renewed consumer…

As the end of 2021 approaches, almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence and rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant has increased uncertainty and weakened the momentum of the global recovery. This series of quarterly reports…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the most severe global recession since World War II. In Q4 2020, the end of the pandemic started as countries began administering effective vaccines among the population; however, vaccine distribution…

This briefing examines how the chicken commodity performs globally and in the largest countries in terms of supply and consumption. The report also provides data and analysis on chicken price dynamics, key meat-consuming industries, and exports and…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. Global inflation is reaching a peak, although geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market remain key risks. The impact varies between countries, with…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries. In 2023, global inflation is expected to ease from its peak in 2022, but remaining significantly above-trend. Geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the energy market are…

Slower growth, surging inflation, rising geopolitical risks and an accelerating deglobalisation trend are factors shaping the global economic, financial and trade landscape in 2022 and beyond. Despite the challenges, there are opportunities for…

Full-service restaurants saw a partial recovery in 2023 but sales remained well below 2021 levels as many operators continued to struggle due the difficult conditions in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. Their higher menu prices compared to…

In keeping with the trend evident across the wider Czech foodservice market, full-service restaurants experienced a dramatic slowdown in current value sales and transactions in 2023 as soaring inflation continued to place upward pressure on menu…

In spite of continuing high inflation, full service restaurants registered double-digit constant value growth. The announcement that the reduced 10% VAT rate, which was introduced during the pandemic, was going to be permanent, boosted the sector.…

The results of full-service restaurants in 2023 were impacted by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022, leading to a rise in eating out and consumers returning to the foodservice experience. However, high inflation continued to impact results,…

While full-service restaurants in Poland continued to post growth in current value sales in 2023, this was primarily due to price hikes imposed to offset rising costs amidst stubbornly high inflation. Transactions declined slightly as falling…

Operational and raw material costs have soared in 2022-2023, pushing up the average price of meals prepared in full-service restaurants. The escalation in menu prices has often surpassed 30% in contrast to recent years. This price differential seen…

In 2023, full-service restaurants continue to recover from the devastating losses registered during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the strong double-digit value growth is largely the result of rising unit prices and inflation. For a growing number…

Technological advances are creating unprecedented change across consumer-facing industries. The Digital Consumer Survey, fielded in March and April, offers insight into the pace and depth of this evolution, tracking consumer behaviour, attitudes,…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine continued to be a major factor influencing consumer foodservice in 2023. Nonetheless, Ukrainian businesses showed unprecedented resilience while operating in challenging wartime conditions, including constant air raids…

Consumer foodservice in the Czech Republic saw growth in total current value sales and transactions slow sharply in 2023. This was partly explained the normalisation of demand following the impressive rebound that accompanied the easing of the…

While inflation remained high in 2023, government measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector benefitted consumer foodservice. In particular, the reduced 10% VAT rate (from a previous 20%), which was introduced during the pandemic, was made…

The positive performance of consumer foodservice in 2023 was driven by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022. However, high inflation was seen from the last quarter of 2022, coinciding with rising consumption of heat, gas and electricity…

Consumer foodservice in Poland saw growth in total transactions and current value sales slow dramatically in 2023. This was partly due to the normalisation of consumption habits following the market’s rapid rebound from the negative impact of the…

The high rate of inflation remained a topic of great concern to consumers and business owners in 2023, with Hungary recording one of the highest rates seen in the EU. Consumer foodservice outlets have been challenged with managing higher expenses for…

Most consumer foodservice categories in Bulgaria have either recovered or are nearing full recovery in 2023. With no movement or travel restrictions, despite new COVID-19 variants, the market could continue to develop uninterrupted in the year. The…