Eastern Europe

Demand for both adult and paediatric analgesics continued to grow in retail volume terms in 2023. Such products are widely used in Poland, particularly in the case of pain which is fleeting or immediate. With the rapid pace of modern life, consumers…

Despite general economic instability and a rise in prices, the analgesics category in 2023 looks set to achieve a positive performance. However, the current value growth rate is likely to be slower than in the previous year. This can be attributed to…

The market witnessed the shortage of some paediatric analgesics towards the end of the review period, causing alarm among parents in the Czech Republic. For example, the shortage of children's fever suppositories (Paralen Sup), which was most…

Many OTC categories in Estonia, including cough and cold, experienced strong decline during COVID-19; however, sales are returning to their pre-pandemic performance in 2023 as viral illness are circulating more following the lifting of pandemic…

The consumer health industry in Poland registered a decline in constant value terms in 2023, following the static performance of the previous year. This was against a backdrop of rising inflation, exacerbated by the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine,…

Despite ongoing economic instability and the high rate of inflation, the consumer health market in Romania is witnessing steady growth in 2023. Notably, it is the categories of vitamin and dietary supplements, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever)…

In 2022, consumer health in the Czech Republic was challenged by medicine shortages, which, to some degree, continued in Q1 2023. The lack of some medicines in the Czech Republic and throughout Europe was caused by the disruption of global supply…

Whilst the category continues to record growth in 2023, the particularly high growth level seen in the previous year could not be maintained. 2022 was a strong year for the category as consumers returned to their pre-pandemic lifestyles following the…

The majority of subcategories within cough, cold and allergy remedies recorded positive growth in retail volume terms in 2023. This was due, in a large part, to a return pre-pandemic lifestyles, which facilitated the spread of the influenza virus and…

Following the return to normality in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, with no more lockdowns or movement restrictions, there has been an increase in the spread of cold and flu viruses, as well as a widespread rise in issues caused by hay fever and…

In 2022, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies was marked by increases in demand for products to soothe sore throat and cough complaints. This development was a result of extremely high morbidity throughout the year. In the first half of 2022,…

Sales of dermatologicals have benefited from the return to normal activities following the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions. Consumers are out in public again and socialising and are consequently looking to treat any conditions to ensure thy…

Most types of dermatologicals saw an upward sales trend in retail volume terms in 2023, although the rate of expansion was lower than that seen in many other consumer health categories. Despite the increasing incidence of diagnosed skin diseases…

International players with broad portfolios continue to lead the way in dermatologicals, with Bayer Romania the top-ranked company. Bayer Romania’s Canesten, the best-selling product in both topical and vaginal antifungals, is expected to maintain…

Dermatologicals is projected to continue to post strong retail current value growth in 2023. Increasing retail value sales have, on the one hand, been influenced by rising unit prices, amid a highly inflationary climate. In addition, hair loss…

Post-pandemic habits are driving the growth of dietary supplements in 2023. During COVID-19, sales of dietary supplements increased in Estonia, with consumers seeking products to aid immunity and remain healthy, and sales continue to be supported by…

The popularity of dietary supplements continued unabated in 2023. Despite the easing of the pandemic, Poles remained keen to purchase such products in order to help boost their immune systems and to lead healthier lifestyles. Demographic trends, in…

As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, consumers have become more informed, leading to continued benefits for dietary supplements. In 2023, combination dietary supplements dominate the market, accounting for a significant portion of overall value sales.…

Dietary supplements enjoyed strong retail volume and current value growth in the wake of the Coronavirus COVID-19) pandemic. However, as the threat of the virus eased and related restrictions lifted, the category experienced stabilisation. Consumers…

Digestive remedies is one of the smaller OTC categories in Estonia, encouraging less demand than vitamins and dietary supplements and analgesics, which most consumers use during periods of seasonal flu and colds. However, during 2022, the category is…

The return of consumers to their busy pre-pandemic lifestyles, together with their inherent stresses, led to a rising incidence of digestive problems in 2023. Busier workers had less time to maintain good dietary habits, with meals frequently…

An increasing number of Romanian consumers are suffering from digestive issues due to eating unhealthy food, certain foods such as saturated fats, or larger amounts than usual servings. The return to hectic lifestyles has also involved an increase in…

Digestive remedies received a fillip in 2022 as international travel continued to return to pre-Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels. Despite the high inflation rate in the country and globally, Czech consumers and their counterparts in other…

Polish consumers are increasingly suffering from diagnosed vision problems, particularly myopia. This can be largely attributed to lifestyle issues, in particular, the extended number of hours spent in front of computer screens. This trend was…

In Romania, the eye care industry has not seen much change and is mostly controlled by a few big companies. These top brands are well-known and trusted by consumers, thanks to their strong distribution and advertising efforts. There is, therefore, an…

A growing number of consumers are developing allergic reactions to outside elements, including pollen and spores, which can cause irritation and discomfort to the eyes. Due to the effects of climate change on the living environment, the Czech…

Sales of herbal/traditional products are set to record further growth in 2023 as they continue to benefit from the growing trend towards products with natural ingredients, which consumers believe to be just as effective without as many chemical side…

The market for herb-based remedies and supplements is generally correlative with the broader environment of OTC medicines. For many consumers, the primary focus is on addressing health concerns, with product composition being a secondary…

Herbal/traditional products is benefiting from the broad trend towards products containing natural ingredients that is influencing demand across a wide range of consumer goods categories, including packaged food and soft drinks, as well as consumer…

Having derived benefits from the search for products offering immunity and general health benefits in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, dietary supplements, as a whole, including herbal/traditional offerings, are seeing a slowdown in…

According to Euromonitor statistics, around 30% of the Polish population smoke tobacco, with a higher proportion of smokers found amongst men. While this represents a significant improvement compared to figures from the 1990s, mortality from diseases…

A recent study revealed that Romania has one of the highest rates of smoking in Europe, estimated at around 30%. This high smoking rate has a positive impact on the performance of NRT smoking cessation aids, as a significant number of smokers are…

The cost of smoking increased substantially in the Czech Republic in 2022, compared to 2021. Alongside rising costs of tobacco products and health concerns, more people are looking to quit the habit. As a result, smoking prevalence among the adult…

Sales of the paediatric consumer health products are seeing solid value growth in 2023, with positive volume growth in most areas, especially paediatric cough, cold and allergy remedies, which are benefiting colds and flus spreading again now that…

The market for paediatric consumer health showed an improved performance in retail volume terms in 2023. While the COVID-19 outbreak temporarily hindered its progression, it showed signs of a revival during the year, as children spent more time…

Paediatric vitamins and dietary supplements remains the largest area of paediatric consumer health. Romanian parents, following the recommendations of family doctors, are understanding the importance of vitamins to their children’s physical and…

A significant decrease in the birth rate (per ‘000 population) in 2022 is expected to be followed by a marginal drop over 2023. The demand for assisted reproduction increased by around 15% in 2022, compared to the previous year. However, since this…

A high proportion of Polish population suffer from sleep disorders, and this problem intensified during the review period. During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers were forced to deal with high levels of anxiety and stress, which resulted in many…

A study has found that 16% of the Romanian population experience chronic insomnia, while 30% regularly struggle with insomnia. These percentages indicate a significant portion of the population affected by sleep-related issues and this high…

Historically, herbal/traditional products account for the vast majority of sleep aids sold in the Czech Republic. Indeed, until slightly prior to the beginning of the review period, herbal/traditional products accounted for all retail sales of sleep…

In 2023, sales of sports nutrition are benefiting from consumers leading increasingly healthy lifestyles and rising nutrition education. In addition, sports nutrition products are now very well perceived as the scepticism among the general public…

Sports nutrition continued its upward trajectory in 2023, with every type of product seeing enhanced growth in retail volume terms. With the COVID-19 crisis having largely abated, consumers began to pay more attention to their health and wellbeing,…

Within the sports nutrition market in Romania, protein/energy bars remains the largest category. Indeed, its strength is being reinforced by the increasing trend for physical activity amongst urban consumers, many of whom are more exposed to…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…