Eastern Europe

Processed meat and seafood is witnessing slower volume growth in 2023, compared to previous years, with momentum driven by the recovery of tourism and some stabilization of price hikes. Nonetheless, price increases have had a negative impact on…

Chilled pasta is the fastest growing category in 2023, in volume and value terms. Consumers are drawn by the favourable ratio of price and cooking time, as chilled pasta only needs to be heated for a few minutes. This pasta option is popular among…

Dried pasta is seeing steady volume growth in 2023, as it is an important staple food within the Georgian diet. Unit price growth has slowed after the surge witnessed in 2022, when rising costs of grain and flour were a key concern. This moderation…

As is the case across staple foods in Hungary, unit prices in rice, pasta and noodles have continued to rise dramatically in 2023 amidst persistently high inflation resulting from the devaluation of the forint and factors linked to the global…

In 2023, rice, pasta, and noodles in Poland is gravitating towards convenience and innovative formats. This shift is in response to changing consumer preferences that increasingly value quick, easy-to-prepare options alongside nutritional benefits.

The volume growth in the category in 2023 can be attributed to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, effectively putting an end to stockpiling behaviours during the pandemic. The convenience of easy cooking and the ability to store products for…

In 2023, rice, pasta, and noodles experienced above-average market performance, emerging as key product categories for budget-conscious consumers. The growing presence of flexitarians and vegans in the Slovak population positively impacted sales.…

Pasta registered positive retail volume growth in 2023 as sales rebounded from the double-digit declines recorded in the category over the course of 2022. However, it should be noted that demand for pasta fell at a slower rate than in most other…

In 2023, demand for staple foods has recovered slightly after several years of decline. Retail volume sales was under pressure for much of the review period, due to surging production costs and rising inflation, which forced prices up. Although…

Staple foods has benefited from the slowdown in retail price inflation in 2023, supporting solid volume growth in 2023. This followed a challenging period in 2022 attributed to geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic challenges, which led to elevated…

Overall retail volume sales of staple foods in Hungary are set to decline for a third consecutive year in 2023, with the contraction projected to be slightly deeper than that recorded in 2022. Demand continues to be depressed by rapidly rising prices…

In 2023, the Polish government implemented new regulations aimed at supporting bakeries and pastry shops amid escalating gas prices. Effective from April 7, these regulations broadened the eligibility criteria for purchasing gas at a regulated price…

In the backdrop of sustained high inflation in Romania in 2023, the resulting high cost of living significantly impacted the retail sales of basic food products, defining the landscape for staple foods during the same year. Analysis of statistics and…

In 2023, despite a stabilisation in the unit price growth of staple foods, the purchasing power of Slovaks failed to recover. Factors such as higher interest rates, rising oil prices, and more expensive services continued to significantly limit their…

The biggest story in staple foods in Ukraine in 2023 was that all sales in all categories were still being significantly impacted by the ongoing war that rages in many parts of the country as well as high inflation due to the collapsing exchange…

Recent fashion aesthetics like 'Old Money' and 'Quiet Luxury' have spurred a surge in demand for classic accessories such as hats/berets, belts, and silk scarves. In 2023, these categories exhibited substantial growth rates, reflecting the evolving…

The prevailing inflationary pressures in Poland have wielded a substantial influence over apparel and footwear in 2023. Escalating living costs have prompted a gradual shift among Polish consumers towards more affordable brands and private label. As…

Over recent years, second-hand shopping gained global traction, primarily among Gen Z. This trend has now transcended demographics, notably appealing to parents of small children. With Poland's ongoing cost of living crisis and the rapid growth of…

The ongoing fluctuations in global temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns have instigated notable shifts in consumer behaviour. With the occurrence of an unusually cold spring and warm autumn in 2023, Polish consumers have adjusted their…

Economic dynamics, notably high inflation and escalating living costs have fuelled a greater emphasis among consumers in Poland on price-consciousness. This inclination has driven a significant demand for cost-effective yet high-quality hosiery…

Circular fashion, a sustainable approach encompassing recycling, upcycling, and extending the lifespan of jeans through repair and resale, stands at the forefront of the fashion industry's movement towards reducing waste and environmental impact.…

In 2023, outbound tourism from Poland expanded significantly, while domestic tourism witnessed double-digit growth, significantly contributing to the increased demand for men's swimwear. The rise in international and domestic travel has spurred a…

Despite Poland's sustained high inflation in 2023, the prices for sports and sports-inspired clothing continued their upward trajectory, albeit at a slower pace than in 2022. Consequently, sportswear experienced significant sales growth in value…

As inflation in Poland continues to outpace the EU average, many Polish consumers are curtailing their expenditure on non-essential items like apparel. They are opting for more affordable brands, private label, and second-hand items. Women's wear…

In 2023, Latvia is seeing a continuing decline in overall bread consumption, a key carbohydrate source. The trend is influenced by wider health and wellness trends and exacerbated by a shrinking population, which limits the potential consumer base.…

Bread consumption continues to decline in Lithuania in 2023 due to the growing health and wellness trend and consumers reducing their carbohydrate intake. The health and wellness trend has been gathering pace in Lithuania in recent years and has even…

Baked goods achieves minimal volume growth as leavened bread, which is the most significant product range within the category, achieves modest retail volume growth in 2023. Consumer demand in retail volume terms continues to slow as a result of the…

Inflation continues to be high in 2023 and as such though baked goods is expected to register current value growth, both constant value and volume sales are expected to fall marginally. This fall in volume sales is also due to a declining population.…

In 2023, breakfast cereals in Latvia is experiencing stagnation, primarily due to health concerns among parents regarding sugar intake for children. In addition, the static number of children in Latvia limits the potential for market growth. The…

The main consumers of breakfast cereal in Lithuania remain children; however, RTE cereals do not have a good reputation among parents in the country and they are not perceived as a healthy option for breakfast due to their high sugar content. Brand…

Muesli and granola and hot cereals are the two largest breakfast cereals categories whose performance tends to influence the overall performance of breakfast cereals in North Macedonia. Due to the moderate volume growth of these two cereal types,…

In spite of continuing high inflation, breakfast cereal is expected to register healthy constant value and volume growth. With consumers leading increasingly busy lives, they appreciate the convenience of breakfast cereal. Breakfast cereal is also a…

The year 2023 marks a period of stagnation for the processed fruit and vegetables category in Latvia, with volume growth dropping to minimal. While the market is gradually recovering from the severe price inflation experienced in 2022, new economic…

Processed fruit and vegetables are not popular as Lithuanians prefer to consume fresh and home-made products rather than processed alternatives. Some preserved vegetables such as pickled products are very well received during the cold season, which…

Consumer demand for processed fruit and vegetables remains stable in North Macedonia in 2023 due to the influence of the burgeoning health and wellness trend in the country. Younger consumers, in particular, are increasingly opting for processed…

Processed fruit and vegetables is expected to be one of the better performing food staples in 2023, registering moderate volume growth. Consumers’ busy lifestyles supports volume growth. While growing fresh produce is a long-established tradition in…

In 2023, processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat in Latvia is recording a rise in volume sales, despite economic uncertainties and health concerns, particularly regarding smoked meat products. Nonetheless, after a phase of post-pandemic…

Volume sales of processed meat, seafood and alternatives are seeing further decline in 2023 as economic uncertainty is impacting consumers’ consumption patterns in the year. Packaged meat products are not perceived to be essential items, therefore…

Despite demographic challenges, consumer demand for processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat remains stable in North Macedonia in 2023, and volume sales have recorded a marginal increase in the year. Value sales, meanwhile, have seen…

In spite of continuing high inflation, volume sales are expected to increase slightly and constant value sales are also expected to register a moderate increase. Processed meat continues to account for most volume sales, with chilled processed meat…

In 2023, the rice, pasta and noodles market in Latvia is characterised by stability rather than dynamic growth. The category has faced a significant price shock in 2023, with prices rapidly increasing and impeding potential growth. Consequently, a…

Rice, pasta and noodles sales are seeing marginal volume growth in 2023 as the key categories of dried pasta and rice are well received in Lithuania as both main and side dishes. Despite increasing concern about the consumption of carbohydrates…

Rice, pasta and noodles is registering moderate retail volume growth in 2023 thanks to the stable performance of rice and pasta. Retail volume sales of noodles, meanwhile, are recording marginal decline due to reduced demand for plain noodles as…

Overall, rice, pasta and noodles is expected to register moderate constant value and minimal volume growth in 2023. However, the performance is not uniform across rice, pasta and noodles. While pasta continues to account for most value sales, it is…

Staple foods in Latvia in 2023 is enjoying a period of modest recovery, following the significant price inflation of 2022. Although some growth has been observed, it is primarily a rebound from the previous year's downturn. The industry overall…

Staple foods in Lithuania has been less impacted by the economic uncertainty than other packaged food categories in 2023. The price inflation of 2022 due to the rising cost of logistics, raw materials and packaging, slowed significantly in 2023,…

Staple foods in North Macedonia is recording moderate volume growth in 2023 as consumer demand stagnates due to a shrinking consumer base as a result of negative demographic trends in the country. Value sales, meanwhile, are seeing strong…

Inflation continues to be high in 2023 and as such though staple foods is expected to register current value growth, both constant value and volume sales are expected to fall marginally. This fall in volume sales is also due to a declining…

2023 saw dips in demand for scarves, hats, gloves and similar items of winter apparel as several factors undermined the willingness of consumers to spend money on such items. The most important influence on waning demand for warm scarves, hats and…

The wave of inflation that swept across Europe in the wake of the Russian Federation’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine continued into 2023, with Hungary witnessing the highest core inflation of all European countries during the year after…