Eastern Europe

Other dairy registered relatively modest growth in retail volume terms in 2023, following the declines of the previous two years. High unit prices, combined with a slowly recovering foodservice industry, following the easing of pandemic restrictions,…

Plant-based dairy recorded a positive sales performance towards the end of the review period, although growth rates during 2022 and 2023 were considerably slower than what was registered earlier in the review period. While demand for plant-based…

Plant-based dairy is the winner in 2023, enjoying healthy volume growth and strong value sales alike. This positive dynamic is supported by the fact that plant-based dairy in Romania is growing from a relatively small base. While plant-based dairy…

Plant-based dairy products continued to gain popularity in Slovakia in 2023, although the rate of growth in retail volume terms was much slower than that seen during the first half of the review period. Demand is being driven by a growing number of…

Yoghurt and sour milk products registered a negative retail volume sales performance in 2023 and this can be attributed largely to the non-essential status of these products. Unlike cheese and drinking milk products, yoghurt has never been seen as an…

Yoghurt and sour milk products is facing the cross-category trends of value sales being driven by increased unit prices, with volume sales in a slump. The growth of average unit prices in 2023 is a consequence of high inflation, a deficit of raw milk…

As Serbians returned to pre-pandemic lifestyles in the latter half of the review period, retail volume sales of yoghurt and sour milk was pushed into decline. In 2023, consumers are still spending more time outside of the home and are enjoying eating…

Retail volume sales of yoghurt saw a modest decline in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than the previous year. This was due to the fact that Slovak households still felt the full impact of high inflation and cut but back on non-essential expenditure.…

Baby food is witnessing marginal declines in retail volume terms, due to the falling birth rate and negative population trends in Macedonia. The declining numbers of live births to Macedonian women in recent years has limited demand for baby food,…

Milk formula is contracting in volume terms overall due to the declining birth rate and stronger promotion of breastfeeding. Much of the latter has been facilitated by the establishment of a special association that supports breastfeeding. There is…

The butter and spreads category is seeing marginal volume decline in 2023 as inflationary pressures continue to take its toll. While margarine and spreads continues to decline in retail volume terms, butter is growing moderately despite the shrinking…

Butter and cooking fats are declining in volume terms due to growing health awareness. Considerable publicity in the media is raising awareness about the unhealthy effects of butter and fats. Health experts identified butter as one of the key…

In the face of rising prices, cheese consumption remains stable in retail volume terms as this product range remains a popular item in everyday cuisine. Its versatility is a key reason for such high demand, as it can be used in preparing various…

The cheese category is growing in volume and value terms. Inflation is driving the value growth of the category while the functional and health effects provided by consuming cheese are driving the volume growth of the category, where spreadable…

Dairy products and alternatives is witnessing a slowdown in retail volume growth and strong current value growth in 2023, amidst strong inflationary pressure and rising unit prices of dairy products. Production costs have remained high since the…

The health and wellness trend is driving the development of dairy products in Slovenia. Fat free or no added sugar products are popular and will likely remain a trend for the first few years of the forecast period. Cheese and yoghurt are perceived as…

In 2023, increased fodder prices have driven up unit prices of locally sourced raw milk, as well as the price of domestic and regional drinking milk brands. Nonetheless, consumer demand remains stable due to the abundance of locally and regionally…

Shelf-stable milk is growing at a faster rate than fresh milk. Driven by hectic lifestyles and limited time, consumers are increasingly opting to buy milk in bulk that they can keep on their shelves at home until it is consumed thanks to its longer…

Other dairy is witnessing robust growth in 2023 thanks to rising unit prices, as a result of inflationary pressure, coupled with relatively stable and uninterrupted consumer demand for products in this particular category. The prevalence of home…

Mlekarna Celeia is a leading player in the category with a wide range of products for adults and children. Zott’s Monte brand is also performing well, launching new products with no added sugar, attracting more health-orientated consumers. Private…

Candidacy for European Union (EU) membership could improve Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH) economic freedom, although corruption is pervasive. The country has a relatively diversified economic base and whilst inflation is moderating, the economy is…

Plant-based dairy is growing in both volume and value sales. An increased number of vegans in the population and growing numbers of people who suffer from allergies or food intolerance are forcing consumers towards dairy-free diets. This in turn is…

Ukraine’s population will plummet in 2021-2040 as a result of millions leaving the country in 2022-2024, following the commencement of the war, triggering a demographic crisis in the country. At the same time, natural increase will remain negative…

Health and wellness trends continue to drive consumption of yoghurt and sour milk products in 2023. Plain yoghurt is very popular in North Macedonia due to its use as an everyday ingredient to prepare healthy meals and snacks. Younger consumers…

Flavoured yoghurt is the fastest growing category in yoghurt and sour milk products. Consumers are looking for new flavour variations to enrich their diets and to sustain their interest. As a result, in addition to long standing popular fruity and…

Analgesics is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023. High inflation is continuing to have an effect and consumers are expected to be highly price sensitive and prioritise value for money. That being said, inflation is easing in…

Consumer health is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023. Continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and high inflation is continuing to have an effect and consumers are expected to be highly…

Analgesics is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023. Though there was widespread severe flu in early 2023, cough and cold remedies are not expected to benefit to a huge degree, as most of these patients were hospitalised or put…

Dermatologicals is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023. Geopolitical tensions in the region have led to a significant increase in the number of immigrants from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, and this is expected to contribute to…

Dietary supplements are expected to register a decline in volume sales in 2023. The boon from the pandemic is long over. Also, inflation and economic uncertainty leads to consumers cutting back on non-essential consumer health products. That being…

Digestive remedies is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023. Geopolitical tensions in the region have led to a significant increase in the number of immigrants from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, and this is expected to contribute…

Herbal/traditional products is expected to register a fall in volume sales, with constant value sales being unchanged. Inflation and economic uncertainty leads to consumers cutting back on non-essential consumer health products. In addition, as…

Vitamins continue to be the most popular product within paediatric consumer health in 2023. However, volume sales for vitamins are expected to fall in 2023 as inflation and economic uncertainty leads to consumers cutting back on non-essential…

Sports nutrition is expected to be the star performer in 2023, with double-digit constant value growth. The consumer base is widening and demand for sports nutrition is now not only confined to body building, but also for sports enthusiasts who…

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…

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,…

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…

Analgesics continues to witness strong current value growth in 2023 as consumers return to normal lifestyles and are exposed to regular seasonal common colds and viruses. A high proportion of analgesics are used to tackle everyday colds and flu…

Analgesics is failing to record a strong performance in Lithuania in 2023; following the pandemic years, sales are stagnating, reflecting the saturated market and consumer base. In addition, a growing scepticism and concern about the overreliance on…

Analgesics continues to achieve strong value growth in North Macedonia in 2023 as a result of strong consumer demand for systemic analgesics, especially adult ibuprofen, adult acetaminophen and adult aspirin. Topical analgesics are outperforming…

Diclofenac and naproxen are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics used to relieve mild pain. Both categories saw retail current value sales surge in 2022. Retail current value sales are set to continue to grow over 2023 in both categories,…

Consumer health in Latvia continues to recover from the pandemic in 2023, with major categories seeing demand patterns rebalance as lifestyles shift back normality. Economic uncertainty is prevailing with inflation remaining high in 2023, a trend…

2023 marks the final year that the outbreak of COVID-19 impacts results. Product areas that gained sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic are returning to purchasing levels and behaviours seen before 2020. Similarly, those negatively impacted by the…

Despite higher standards of living in North Macedonia, economic challenges resulting in low disposable incomes remain, with the situation further exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine. This has led to double-digit inflation, which is increasing…

Consumer health in Slovakia is affected by changes in purchasing behaviour as a result of the fading Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the effects of the war in Ukraine and a cost of living crisis amid high inflation. However, the issue of high…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies in Latvia is registering moderate growth in 2023 as the category begins to stabilise post-pandemic. Retail value sales rebounded strongly 2022 after two years of decline, with lifestyles shifting back to…

2023 marks the year when the cough and cold landscape is set to lose its uplift due to COVID-19, returning to a level closer to that seen pre-pandemic. Sales have continued to benefit from harsh seasonal colds and the flu season of 2022-2023.…

Cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies is seeing slower growth in 2023 due to a shorter cold season caused by milder winter 2022/2023. The exception is antihistamines, which continues to grow at a solid rate due to high consumer demand amidst…

In Slovakia, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies was characterised by very strong increases in retail volume sales of OTC remedies for sore throats, coughs and colds. The high demand was the result of extremely high morbidity throughout the…

Although dermatologicals continues to enjoy steady growth in 2023, current value sales have slowed down compared to the double-digit rates seen at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst spending more time at home, Latvian consumers became…