Understand the key trends shaping demand and future opportunities...
Understand the key trends shaping demand and future opportunities across industries in Eastern Europe, with the latest regional and country-level analysis and market statistics.
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…
RTD coffee is regarded as offering a convenient alternative to energy drinks for consumers who tend to perceive coffee as a healthier option. The convenience trend in Estonia is leading to a growing number of busy local consumers looking for…
Juice sales in Eastern Europe dipped slightly into negative territory in 2020, impacted by increasing price sensitivity among consumers due to the economic impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the region. The previously booming growth of not from…
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…
In Eastern Europe, the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause any surge in sales of bottled water through off-trade channels in 2020. However, the impact on off-trade channels varied by country as preferences and consumption habits of local consumers played…
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…
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…
The briefing introduces the Cities Households Necessities Spending Index. The index ranks 1,075 cities by household expenditure on non-discretionary items, namely food, housing, and clothing and footwear. This analysis focuses on 160 major cities.…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
Substantial inflation experienced in 2022 and 2023 resulted in Czech households facing a tough economic situation, exacerbated by the rising cost of living. Rising prices of products caused Czech consumers to be wary of their expenditure and reduce…
The demand for both liquid and powder concentrates was in decline prior to the review period. The downward trajectory continued through the review period, including 2023. With price increases in a highly inflationary climate, consumers reduced their…
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…
Juice was the category within soft drinks most affected by the high inflation of 2022 and 2023 and subsequent price increases of products. Juice products tend to be quite expensive for consumers in the Czech Republic. The worsening of the economic…
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…
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,…
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,…
Sports drinks’ performance was not affected significantly by the high inflation rate and worsening economic situation in 2022 and 2023. This was because the factor with the highest influence on demand towards the end of the review period was the…
Bottled water overall benefits from strong health and wellness trends, with consumers increasingly opting for bottled water's simple hydration and refreshment, particularly in restaurants. The category is rising steadily among health-conscious…
The sales volume of both carbonated and still bottled water experienced a significant decline in 2023. This trend can be attributed to two primary factors. Firstly, notable price increases for bottled water forced consumers to re-evaluate their…
2023 was another turbulent year for bottled water in Poland. Rising inflation and the increasing cost of materials had a strong impact on bottled water unit prices. As prices rose, the demand for bottled water declined in comparison to the last year.…
Carbonates in Bulgaria is witnessing notable shifts in 2023 due to persistent inflationary pressures impacting consumer spending habits. The rising cost of living has led consumers to curtail expenditure on non-essential goods, fostering a heightened…
Regular cola carbonates, as a product area, experienced a more moderate decline in sales volume than non-cola carbonates in 2023, despite significant price increases. This can be attributed to the enduring popularity of cola flavour among consumers…
In 2023, retail volume sales of carbonates fell back into decline. Carbonates was still recovering from the sharp price increases caused by Poland’s sugar tax in 2021, when high inflation caused further price shocks for consumers. Although unit price…
In Bulgaria, liquid concentrates have emerged as a cost-effective option for soft drink preparation amid tightened household budgets. This shift towards more affordable alternatives has temporarily slowed the category's decline. However, concentrates…
Liquid concentrates demonstrated remarkable resilience amidst the inflationary pressures that affected other soft drinks. This can be attributed to their perceived affordability during the economically challenging period, leading consumers to shift…
In 2023, powder concentrates registered a significant price growth of 30%. Players had done all they could to prevent prices rising in 2021 and 2022. In addition, concentrates escaped the impact of the sugar tax, due to a loophole, and this meant…
Energy drinks benefits from constant innovation and improved distribution. Producers are challenging traditional perceptions of energy drinks by introducing sugar-free variants and incorporating healthier ingredients like fruit juice, green tea or…
The previously robust growth of energy drinks in Hungary experienced a slowdown in 2023. This slowdown is primarily attributed to the significant increase in prices for food and beverages, which prompted consumers to reduce their purchases of…
For a significant period, energy drinks seemed to be resistant to all negative factors influencing the soft drinks category. It registered solid volume growth in 2021, when many categories declined due to the rising prices caused by the newly…
100% juice is posting stable growth in Bulgaria in 2023, maintaining popularity due to its perceived freshness, nutritional value and alignment with health and wellness trends. Despite this, its growth potential is somewhat hampered by ongoing…
Juice in Hungary faced significant challenges in 2023 due to high inflation rates and rising prices. Across all juice categories, except for coconut and other plant waters, sales volume experienced a substantial decline. This decline can be…
In August 2023, the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) published its production forecast estimating that the apple harvest in Europe in 2023 will be 3% lower than the previous year. Meanwhile, Poland, which is considered Europe's largest apple…
Post-COVID-19, as travel and work activities resumed, there was a rebound in off-trade impulse consumption and demand for RTD coffee, leading to strong retail volume growth in 2022, albeit from a relatively low base. Such positive growth continues in…
Despite its low base and strong initial development, RTD coffee experienced a slowdown in growth, even a slight decline in 2023, due to price hikes implemented in 2022 and 2023. Financial instability prompted consumers to reduce expenses on…
In 2023, RTD coffee leads as the fastest growing category in soft drinks, in volume terms. Despite the unfavourable economic conditions, RTD coffee continues to attract new consumers. The product category is widely available in the modern trade, with…
RTD tea in Bulgaria faces a significant challenge due to its seasonality, with consumption predominantly occurring during the summer months. To address this, producers are introducing new flavour ranges not typically associated with summer, such as…
RTD tea sales in Hungary faced significant challenges in 2023 due to rising prices and the non-essential nature of these products. Despite the potential for growth, RTD tea remained highly reliant on player support, constant innovation, and seasonal…
In 2023, RTD tea declined in volume terms. Demand fell as consumers became more budget-conscious due to the cost of living crisis and higher average prices. RTD tea is also highly seasonal drink, with high dependency on promotional activities from…
The soft drinks market in Bulgaria in 2023 is experiencing transformative changes in response to economic factors and evolving consumer preferences. Inflationary pressures are notably impacting price growth and disposable incomes, leading consumers…
High inflation exerted significant pressure on consumer spending, negatively impacting soft drinks in 2023. Many consumers were forced to curtail their spending on non-essential items, leading to a decline in soft drink consumption. Strong product…
Soft drinks in Poland witnessed a decline in volume sales in 2023, following a second year of double-digit inflation. The steep growth in unit prices led to weaker demand for soft drinks, with some categories suffering more than the previous year.…
Sports drinks in Bulgaria is recording strong and stable growth in 2023, propelled by an increasing interest in outdoor sports and physical exercise, and a growing number of gyms. Alongside physical activity trends, there is a heightened awareness of…
The growing adoption of healthier lifestyles, including regular exercise routines, has positively impacted sports drinks sales in Hungary. Despite facing substantial price increases, consumers continue to participate in various sporting activities…
Despite being an emerging product in Poland, sports drinks saw volume sales growth slow in 2023, due to ongoing inflation and diminishing purchasing power. Nevertheless, it was still one of the top performing categories in soft drinks. The importance…
Bottled water continues to be the most popular soft drink in Bosnia-Herzegovina and is expected to achieve moderate volume growth in 2023. A certain cohort of consumers are switching to bottled water from carbonates, as they look to be healthier, and…
Overall, volume sales are expected to stagnate in 2023, with the most popular cola carbonates expected to see volume sales fall slightly. Carbonates are a mature product area, with little room for further growth, and added to this, the population…
While concentrates are a sizeable product area in Bosnia-Herzegovina, they have been on a downward trajectory in recent years and this expected to continue in 2023, with a further fall in volume sales. Consumers prefer the convenience of RTD options…