Eastern Europe

Most consumer foodservice categories in Bulgaria have either recovered or are nearing full recovery in 2023. With no movement or travel restrictions, despite new COVID-19 variants, the market could continue to develop uninterrupted in the year. The…

The high rate of inflation remained a topic of great concern to consumers and business owners in 2023, with Hungary recording one of the highest rates seen in the EU. Consumer foodservice outlets have been challenged with managing higher expenses for…

The positive performance of consumer foodservice in 2023 was driven by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022. However, high inflation was seen from the last quarter of 2022, coinciding with rising consumption of heat, gas and electricity…

While inflation remained high in 2023, government measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector benefitted consumer foodservice. In particular, the reduced 10% VAT rate (from a previous 20%), which was introduced during the pandemic, was made…

Consumer foodservice in the Czech Republic saw growth in total current value sales and transactions slow sharply in 2023. This was partly explained the normalisation of demand following the impressive rebound that accompanied the easing of the…

In 2023, full-service restaurants continue to recover from the devastating losses registered during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the strong double-digit value growth is largely the result of rising unit prices and inflation. For a growing number…

Operational and raw material costs have soared in 2022-2023, pushing up the average price of meals prepared in full-service restaurants. The escalation in menu prices has often surpassed 30% in contrast to recent years. This price differential seen…

The results of full-service restaurants in 2023 were impacted by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022, leading to a rise in eating out and consumers returning to the foodservice experience. However, high inflation continued to impact results,…

In spite of continuing high inflation, full service restaurants registered double-digit constant value growth. The announcement that the reduced 10% VAT rate, which was introduced during the pandemic, was going to be permanent, boosted the sector.…

In keeping with the trend evident across the wider Czech foodservice market, full-service restaurants experienced a dramatic slowdown in current value sales and transactions in 2023 as soaring inflation continued to place upward pressure on menu…

With no pandemic-related movement and travel restrictions mandated by the government, foodservice continues to recover in 2023. Limited-services restaurants, in particular, are recording strong value growth as a result of strong and renewed consumer…

Soaring inflation pushed menu prices in limited-service restaurants to new highs in 2023, although operators are always careful when considering price adjustments, especially for their signature meals. Core target audiences, such as students and…

The positive performance of limited-service restaurants in 2023 was aided by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2022, allowing limited-service restaurants to appeal through the convenience they provide. In addition, the high cost of living…

While inflation remained high in 2023, government measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector benefitted limited-service restaurants. In particular, the reduced 10% VAT rate (from a previous 20%), which was introduced during the pandemic, was…

Current value and transaction growth rates for limited-service restaurants in the Czech Republic in 2023 were down substantially on the previous two years. This was partly due to the stabilisation of consumption patterns following a post-pandemic…

Boosted by significant price hikes and the inflation, self-service cafeterias is achieving very strong value growth as consumer demand continues to recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. As no further pandemic-related restrictions have been…

Self-service cafeterias made price adjustments of between 20-30% during 2023, as soaring inflation pushed up the costs of vital ingredients, such as meat and pasta. Simultaneously, heightened labour and energy costs further contributed to this…

The dynamics of self-service cafeterias in 2023 were impacted by the lifting of COVID-19 restriction in 2022, with consumers returning to office work. As such, office employees were the main customers of self-service cafeterias, which offer cooked…

On the one hand, self-service cafeterias benefited from their competitive prices in 2023, with consumers being highly price sensitive consumers in face of continuing high inflation. As daily menu prices increased in restaurants, some consumers…

Because self-service cafeterias have a comparatively affordable positioning and are perceived to offer good value for money, this category was not as negatively affected by the cost-of-living crisis as some other areas of the Czech foodservice market…

In 2023, street stalls/kiosks continue to rebound from the steep sales declines seen at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong double-digit value growth is further supported by rising unit prices and the impact of inflation. The market has already…

Street stalls/kiosks run by entrepreneurs and small businesses were among the most vulnerable players within consumer foodservice in 2023. The sales performance of street stalls/kiosks is highly dependent on changing traffic patterns, the weather and…

The value sales increase for street stalls/kiosks was the consequence of increased mobility, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022. Players benefited from high footfall, with street stalls/kiosks being a popular option for purchasing…

With inflation continuing to be high in 2023, street foods/kiosks were a popular choice, as such offerings tends to be more economical than other foodservice options. Street stall operators do not have the same expenses in terms of rent etc and…

Though not immune from the cost-of-living crisis, street stalls/kiosks was among the categories that profited most in 2023 as rising prices and falling disposable incomes made Czech consumers more inclined to favour cheaper foodservice options. It…

Most air care subcategories performed positively in retail volume and value terms in 2023 due to consumers' growing desire for a cosy atmosphere and a pleasant home ambience. However, the increase of the landscape related to home air care - such as…

Candle and electric air fresheners became increasingly popular among Czech consumers in 2023, as many looked for cheap but highly convenient products. This helped air care to record positive retail volume growth during a time of rising price points.…

Bleach in Bulgaria recorded a significant decline in retail volume in 2023. Much of this was due to the uplift in growth seen during COVID-19, with consumers looking for strong, powerful, effective cleaners that were also affordable. Despite the…

Retail value sales recorded a double-digit increase in 2023, linked to rising inflation and high price points. However, the price increases caused consumers to adjust their budgets, having less disposable income to spend on products. As such, while…

Many areas in dishwashing developed positively in 2023, with value growth driven by rising inflation and increased price points. Retail volume growth was positive in automatic dishwashing liquid and tablets, driven by the growing need for convenience…

Retail value sales recorded double-digit growth in 2023, aligned with rising inflation and higher price points. However, due to increased prices, retail volume sales struggled, leading automatic dishwashing tablets to be the only area to record…

Retail value growth was positive for home care in Bulgaria in 2023, supported by rising price points and ongoing inflation. As such, while retail value sales rose, retail volume was challenged, with declining disposable budgets impacting consumers…

Retail value sales in home care recorded strong growth in 2023; the result of rising inflation and significant price increases in the Czech Republic. As such, while retail value sales were positive, retail volume was challenged as consumers'…

Home insecticides in Bulgaria declined in retail volume sales in 2023, impacted by the fall in the property market. Moreover, people in the cities increasingly use the services of insect control companies, which provide an easy, quick, effective and…

Despite rising price points in 2023, leading to double-digit retail value growth, retail volume sales remained positive in home insecticides, with all areas, bar insectile coils, recording volume growth. Spray/aerosol and electric home insecticides…

While retail value sales were positive in 2023, these results were heavily driven by increased unit prices. As such, retail volume sales struggled, negatively impacted by rising inflation and reduced consumer spending power. This led to a retail…

Retail value sales recorded double-digit growth in 2023, driven by rising price points in line with inflation. However, while value sales were strong, retail volume sales struggled, leading to an overall volume decline in laundry care. Declines were…

Polishes in Bulgaria continued to lose retail volume sales in 2023. As rising prices impacted consumers' budgets, many adjusted their spending, focusing on essentials. Many consumers do not consider polishes essential, with consumers removing the…

While polishes recorded strong retail growth in 2023, retail volume sales struggled, declining in all areas, bar metal polish, which saw stagnate growth. The economic impact of the rising cost of living has undermined consumer confidence and…

Surface care in Bulgaria continued to decline in retail volume in 2023, much of which is the consequence of the category's unusual growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, sales are declining in comparison as usage returns to pre-pandemic…

In 2023, kitchen cleaners were the clear leader in retail volume growth within surface care. The increased use of these products resulted from ongoing innovation and product development focused on higher effectiveness and natural composition. For…

Toilet care in Bulgaria saw positive development in 2023, with double-digit retail value growth and a retail volume rise in areas such as rim block and toilet liquids/foams. In addition, all product areas recorded positive retail value growth, driven…

Toilet care saw an uplift in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the crisis, sales were boosted by people being at home more often, with a higher emphasis on hygiene and increasing cleaning activities in many Czech households. With…

Apart from electric air fresheners, all other air care products witnessed a decline in retail volume terms in 2023. In the face of rising costs of living, consumers are choosing to economise and cut down on unnecessary purchases, which includes most…

Air care was one of the few categories that did not suffer from sharp price growth in 2022, but prices caught up in 2023, impacting demand in the year. However, air care overall still managed to achieve positive volume growth due to tourism as sales…

Overall, air care performed well in terms of volume growth. However, the standout performer in 2023 was liquid air fresheners, which in spite of significant price rises, also registered double-digit percentage volume growth. The strong performance…

Air care in Georgia faces moderate volume growth in 2023, with current value growth stimulated by rising retail prices. As in other categories, modern retail is the main catalyst for rising consumption of air care products in Georgia. Indeed, air…

While retail value sales were double-digit, retail volume sales declined in areas such as gel air freshers, car air fresheners and spray/aerosol air fresheners. Sales were negatively impacted by rising inflation and reduced consumer spending power.…

In 2023, gel air fresheners saw strong growth rates in both retail value and volume. These fresheners are crafted with formulations designed to impart a longer-lasting fragrance, distinguishing them from other formats and appealing to consumers…

Price inflation has softened in 2023, providing a welcome relief for consumers. Air care registered double-digit current value growth and steady volume growth reflecting the significance of this product area. Spray/aerosols is the main category in…