Eastern Europe

In 2023, energy drinks saw strong increases in on- and off-trade volume and current value growth. In the retail channel, double-digit volume growth was tied to the robustness of remote work set-ups, which could blur the line between work and personal…

Energy drinks are increasingly popular in Georgia and in 2023 energy drinks are expected to register the highest volume growth of all soft drinks. The range of energy drinks on offer in also growing and this is supporting volume growth. Consumers…

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…

Energy drinks continued recording positive off-trade volume growth in 2023, with double-digit growth for the second year. Energy drinks registered strong growth over the review period and survived the onset of COVID-19 unscathed, with healthy retail…

Energy drinks is the other robustly performing category, along with sports drinks. Whilst energy drinks took a hit during the pandemic lockdowns, off-trade volume growth has followed a most positive trajectory over the review period and this…

In 2023, energy drinks saw off-trade volume sales rise as demand was driven by the younger generation of consumers, mostly Millennials and Gen Z, whose demand increased as they resumed partying and socialising after the disruption resulting from the…

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…

As interest in more active lifestyle grows, and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions has increased movement, energy drinks has seen a positive performance in 2023. Aggressive promotion, both offline and online, is also contributing positively to the…

Energy drinks in Serbia have experienced notable volume sales growth, primarily driven by the return to pre-pandemic lifestyles. The busier pace of life further encourages the consumption of energy drinks. Leading players in this market retain their…

Unfavourable weather in spring and summer 2023 restricted the growth potential of energy drinks in both the retail and foodservice channels. In addition, weak purchasing power continued to limit local consumers’ ability to spend on relatively…

Energy drinks continues to witness solid volume growth in 2023, fuelled by hectic lifestyles and consumers looking for beverages that provide a quick and effective energy boost. Rising health awareness and participation in sports activities is also…

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…

Energy drinks was the only soft drinks category in Ukraine to see retail volume growth both in 2022 and 2023. This dynamic growth related to the strong increase in demand from volunteers, doctors, armed forces, and other people looking for an energy…

Juice is expected to register moderate volume growth in 2023. Many consumers are switching from carbonates to juices, as they consider juice to be healthier. In addition, within juice, consumers are opting for healthier, more natural versions as much…

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…

Stanic, with its To and Juicy brands, continues to lead current value and retail volume sales of juice in 2023, with consumers seeing the brands as good price/quality combinations. Second-leading player Vindija also maintains a double-digit value…

Juice is increasingly seen as an unhealthy, sugary drink by consumers in Estonia. During the review period the category was impacted negatively as more and more consumers became aware of the high sugar content in packaged juice products. This trend…

Juice is expected to register double-digit retail volume growth and even higher volume growth through foodservice channels. Foodservice in particular is buoyed by an increasing number of tourists, as well an influx of immigrants from Ukraine, Russia…

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…

Off-trade volume sales declined in 2023, challenged by rising price points and the growing health awareness in the country. While many consider juice a healthy product, a rising number of consumers are avoiding juice to reduce their sugar intake.…

Juice sales continue to decline in Lithuania, due to such products losing their perceived “healthy” image due to high sugar content, along with high prices placing downwards pressure on demand. Traditionally, juice had been perceived as a “healthier”…

Juice achieved stable off-trade volume growth in 2023 with sales supported by the continued consumer demand for the largest product categories, especially nectars and juice drinks. In addition, the continued shift from carbonates to juice is having a…

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…

Juices continued outperforming carbonates in 2023, which are regarded as a healthier alternative. However, with rising levels of inflation and unit price increases, many Romanian consumers migrated to private labels. The juice category is becoming…

Juice, deemed non-essential, witnessed a decline in consumption in 2023, influenced by soaring prices and a decrease in disposable income within Serbia. Economically conscious consumers reduced juice consumption or migrated towards more affordable…

The competition from cheaper drinks alternatives, such as flavoured bottled water and non alcoholic beer, was increasingly felt by juice in Slovakia towards the end of the review period. This was because the typical Slovak consumer was increasingly…

100% juice is the fastest growing subcategory in juices, despite rising retail prices. These drinks are perceived as being healthier than most juices as they normally do not contain added preservatives or artificial ingredients. Consumers are keen to…

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…

Juice was one of the hardest hit soft drinks categories following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and it saw only a modest recovery in retail volume terms in 2023. The category lost a tangible share of its key target audience following Russia’s…

RTD coffee is expected to register the highest volume growth among soft drinks in 2023. However, RTD coffee is still an emerging product area and value sales are small and it is partly its novelty factor that has boosted volume sales. That being…

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…

Value sales are still low for RTD coffee in Croatia, in what is an emerging product area. In 2023, RTD coffee is expected to register moderate volume growth, though continuing rising prices dampen volume growth to an extent, especially as many of RTD…

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…

Volume sales continue to be low for RTD coffee and in 2023, volume growth is expected to be muted. One factor holding back growth is the limited range of brands on offer and distribution is mainly through modern grocery retailers, with limited…

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…

Off-trade volume sales recorded double-digit growth in 2022, however, much of this is due to the product growing from a small base. As such, actual product sales and values remain low, with ongoing potential for growth.

Whilst RTD coffee sees positive off-trade volume growth, the category is mostly uninteresting for consumers in Lithuania, with overall volumes sold remaining minimal. RTD coffee faces direct and strong competition from hot brewed coffee and energy…

RTD coffee continued to rebound from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in 2023, as consumers returned to their familiar hectic lifestyles in the absence of movement restrictions and once again demanded soft drinks for on-the-go consumption. RTD…

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…

Coffee consumption has been soaring in Romania, with a strong performance both in the online and the offline. In the context of a growing coffee culture in the country, RTD coffee registered another year of strong volume growth. The performance is…

High inflation and a decline in disposable income hinder the further growth of RTD coffee in 2023. Despite this, RTD coffee maintains volume sales due to its growth potential in an unsaturated category. Key players like Nescafé face intensified…

More hectic and on-the-go lifestyles as consumers resumed work, social and travel norms, as the threat of COVID-19 and related restrictions were lifted, stimulated a demand for RTD coffee. However, demand limitation barriers arose in the form of the…

RTD coffee is growing steadily in Slovenia fuelled by the convenience trend and the rising popularity of on-the-go beverages. Slovenia’s coffee culture is also a driving force with consumers also shifting towards instant coffee and the use of coffee…

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…

RTD coffee only started to gain a significant presence in Ukraine during the pandemic but after a bright start the category saw a steep decline in 2022 because of the impact of Russia’s invasion on the supply chain and import issues. Leading retailer…

RTD tea is expected to register moderate volume growth in 2023, despite continuing population decline. In particular, there has been some shift from carbonates and juice and this is expected to support volume growth. RTD tea is made up of still RTD…

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 is expected to register moderate volume growth in 2023, despite continuing population decline. In particular, there has been some shift from carbonates and juice and this is expected to support volume growth. RTD tea is made up of still RTD…

Reduced sugar still RTD tea continued to post the fastest off-trade volume and current value growth in 2023. This trend mirrored the changes in consumer preferences, as more individuals looked for healthier beverages as part of wider healthier…

RTD tea is expected to continue on a healthy retail volume growth trajectory in 2023. Volume growth is even higher, and in the double digits, for foodservice channels, where an influx of recently-arrived immigrants from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus,…