Eastern Europe

Private label offerings like those of Dr Max, Tesco, Action, Lidl and Benu are steadily growing in popularity in sticking plasters/adhesive bandages. The economic shock of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and high inflationary pressure on prices…

Upon the Russian invasion of Ukraine, retail sales of wound care in Slovenia experienced growth, with the general population in Slovenia purchasing essential wound care items to offer as donations to those affected in Ukraine. The Ministry of Health…

Wound care in Slovakia is consolidated around few key players. Hartmann-Rico, the historical leader with a wide range of brands, is expected to remain clear of the field in retail value share terms in 2023, followed by 3M (East), Interpharm Slovakia…

Consumption of wound care is being stimulated by Serbians’ return to pre-pandemic lifestyles. As consumers spend more time outside their homes, the incidence of the kind of minor injury that requires wound care is rising. In addition, the health and…

With Romanian consumers having returned to more active lifestyles in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, there has been an increased incidence of minor injuries. The greater engagement in physical exercise amongst health conscious consumers and children…

Having experienced a slowdown during the height of the pandemic, wound care showed signs of greater stability in 2023. This was largely attributable to the rollback of stringent pandemic-related restrictions and a gradual decrease in the public's…

Demand for wound care products remains stable and, with rising unit prices in line with inflation, it is seeing strong retail value growth in 2023. Both major categories - sticking plasters/adhesive bandages and gauze, tape and other wound care - are…

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, sales of wound care in Lithuania heightened as consumers were back to previous active lifestyles. This is especially true for children, boosting sales of basic products for small injuries and cuts. Compeed branded…

Wound care is expected to see stagnant current value growth in 2023 after a period of fluctuation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers have fully returned to outdoor activities and consequently, various minor injuries are fuelling sales of…

As occurred in 2022, wound care is set to post moderate growth in current value sales in 2023 but contract in volume terms. These results are explained by persistently high inflation in Hungary, which has continued to erode spending power among…

Wound care is expected to positive current value and volume growth in 2023. The full opening of society, post pandemic, supports volume sales, as people are more active, and as a consequence there are more small injuries. Continuing population growth…

2023 is another year of the wound care category returning to its pre-pandemic sales level. Consumers have resumed their usual active lifestyles following the outbreak of COVID-19. Both adults and children have returned to sports, hiking and other…

Retail sales of wound care in Croatia grew with the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the public purchased basic wound care products to donate to those in Ukraine. The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a list of items suitable…

The return to outdoor activities in Bulgaria following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the end of home seclusion have had a positive impact on sales of wound care products. As people re-engage in various outdoor pursuits such as sports,…

Consumer demand for wound care products remains stable in 2023, despite the significant unit price increases which had only a mild effect on retail volume growth. Conversely, current value growth has reached double-digits due to the price rises.…

According to the Czech Statistical Office, Czech consumers have gained weight. The body mass index (BMI) rose from 25.2 in 2017 to 26.2 in 2022. For a healthy weight, BMI should reach a maximum of 25. In 2022,18% of women and 21% of men suffered from…

Rates of obesity are increasing in Slovenia, with lifestyles changing rapidly, with labour-intensive jobs switching to office jobs, which require little movement. At the same time, COVID-19 contributed to social distancing, which made people less…

Over 2023, meal replacement is projected to see further, if slight, retail volume growth and fast retail current value, fuelled by high inflation. The category is driven by innovation and strong marketing activities in support of the leading meal…

Disposable income decline and growing prices are leading to a drop in retail volume sales of weight management and wellbeing in 2023. Economising consumers are visiting pharmacies to purchase necessary products, but, as consumers have become more…

According to official statistics, 58% of the Romanian adults are overweight. Another significant cause for concern is that, of children aged between 7 and 9 years old, 30% are overweight and around 15-20% are obese. Even though Romania is just below…

The prevalence of obesity has been increasing in Poland in recent years, with around 25% of the adult population estimated to be obese. Indeed, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), life expectancy in Poland…

Weight management and wellbeing tops the list of fastest growing categories as the health and wellness trend continues to influence consumers in North Macedonia in 2023. Also, a growing number of people are struggling with obesity, high blood…

Weight management is not traditionally a first choice for consumers in Lithuania regarding weight management or losing weight. Competition from sports nutrition, healthier diets and exercise plans, are all challenges to sales, hampering results.…

There has been a strong increase in current value sale of weight management and wellbeing in 2023, although inflation has been a contributory factor pushing up prices. Consumers have resumed their active social lives and body image is a much higher…

Although weight management and wellbeing is set to register another solid performance in terms of total current value sales growth in 2023, this is largely due to steep price hikes resulting from persistently high inflation in Hungary. With the…

Weight management and wellbeing is expected to register healthy constant value and moderate volume growth in 2023. Meal replacement is expected to register the highest current value growth, as awareness of the product increases. That being said,…

Weight management products continue to have a low consumer base in Estonia. For many consumers, these products are not top of mind or the first choice for tackling weight loss. Still, category growth was registered as some consumers use these…

Weight management and wellbeing has a very strong foundation to maintain its current consumer base and expand upon it as around 35% of children and 65% of adults are either overweight or obese in Croatia. For the last decade, Croatians have developed…

Social media has become a powerful influence in the market for weight management and wellbeing products in Bulgaria. These platforms, which include Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and especially TikTok, provide consumers with access to videos promoting…

Weight management and wellbeing continues to record strong current value growth rates in 2023, driven by the popularity of health and wellness trends, which is having a significant impact on consumer attitudes and purchasing patterns. COVID-19 is no…

The market size of vitamins is projected to continue to decrease over 2023, following spikes in demand in 2020 and/or 2021. After two years of record-high retail volume sales, the category has lost momentum, which is only logical given heightened…

The pandemic resulted in shifts in vitamin consumption and purchasing in Slovenia. Consumers are emphasising preventive health measures more, and individuals who previously did not purchase them are using vitamins and supplements. The COVID-19…

Vitamins witnessed two years of fast growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2020 and 2021 as consumers looked for immunity and general health properties to offer resistance to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, as the…

The vitamins category saw a significant decrease in volume sales of both single vitamins and multivitamins in 2022, which is set to continue in 2023. According to trade interviews, in the first quarter of 2023 volumes declined by 30% compared with…

In the context of rising consumer health consciousness, many Romanian consumers are coming to perceive their daily habits as unhealthy. For example, many consumers are becoming aware of their irregular eating and inadequate water intake. As they come…

Following a remarkable surge in demand for vitamins during the peak of the pandemic, growth remained fairly modest in retail volume terms in 2023. While vitamins remain a staple in many Polish households, the immense initial demand set a high…

Vitamins is experiencing strong double-digit value growth in 2023 due to rising unit prices and rampant inflation in the country. Volume sales, meanwhile, have normalised following a strong boost during the pandemic as consumers bought vitamins in…

2023 was a positive year for sales of vitamins in Lithuania. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, new habits have formed in the country, with consumers keen to take care of their immune systems, with a solid and growing focus on preventative health…

Although vitamins are still witnessing solid current growth in 2023, demand is now subsiding after several years of dynamic performance during the pandemic years. Retail volume and current value sales are now substantially higher than pre-pandemic…

Vitamins is set to record negative results in volume and current value terms for the second year in a row in 2023. While overall consumption of these products in Hungary surged during the early stages of the pandemic due to increased…

Vitamins are expected to register a decline in volume sales in 2023. The boon from the pandemic is long over and in particular vitamins that claim immune boosting benefits are seeing a significant decline. In fact, volume sales are even lower than…

Vitamins recorded strong double-digit growth during the pandemic as consumers purchased products to strengthen their immunity and boost their general health. However, with restrictions lifted and consumers resuming their usual daily activities,…

The pandemic has encouraged several consumer behaviour changes in terms of the purchasing and consumption of vitamins. Croatians are now taking preventative health more seriously and vitamins and supplements are being taken by those who never…

Consumers in Bulgaria are becoming more health conscious, seeking ways to boost their immune systems, improve their energy levels, and maintain general wellbeing. Already prominent prior to the pandemic, the health and wellness trend received a…

Vitamins is witnessing one of the highest growth rates within consumer health in 2023, thanks to robust consumer demand driven by health and wellness trends. Vitamin intake and supplementation is gaining importance in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with…

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,…

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…

Sports Nutrition is thriving in Slovenia, as the fitness culture is gaining significant traction. Despite constrained budgets and lower income levels compared to the EU average, gyms and sports are increasingly becoming an essential aspect of life,…

In 2023, sports nutrition continues to recover from the general decline in retail volume and value sales in 2020. This downturn was caused by the exigencies of Coronavirus (COVID-19), which saw gyms close amid lockdown and home seclusion measures.…