Eastern Europe

Rising unit prices has led to value sales growth for sweet spreads, while volume sales remain under pressure as consumers focus their dwindling budgets on paying for essential foodstuffs and services. Sweet spreads sales have also been limited by a…

Rising health awareness among Slovenia consumers is directing the development of new products in sweet spreads. Towards the end of the review period Natureta, one of the most popular brands in jams, launched a new jam with low-sugar content. K-NORMA,…

Thanks to its natural and healthy product image, honey has benefitted from consumer concerns about wellbeing and immunity. Many local households purchase honey from local beekeepers, trusting the quality of local honey more than that which is sold in…

Retail volume sales of honey remained well below 2021 levels in 2023 despite positive growth over the course of the year and this is due to the dramatic declines previously seen in demand for honey as armed conflict gripped Ukraine during 2022. With…

In 2023, baked goods achieved moderate volume growth due to the strong performance of leavened bread, which is gaining popularity and shaping the development of the baked goods category. Despite rising prices, overall consumption of baked goods has…

The consumption of baked goods declined in 2023 as bread sales continue to follow the negative trend seen in the review period. Per capita growth in bread is limited due to Bulgaria’s declining population, which is falling well ahead of other…

Following steep price growth in baked goods in 2022, wheat and flour prices stabilised in 2023. This is particularly important for bread as it is heavily dependent on flour prices. Croatians are strong bread consumers, and it was expected that volume…

Retail sales of baked goods continued to decline in 2023 in the face of the still-elevated rate of inflation, which impacted the cost of living and caused consumers to rationalise their spending. This translated into a movement away from packaged…

Consumer demand for breakfast cereals remains stable in 2023, despite the challenges posed by population decline in the country, which is limiting the potential consumer base. The shift towards healthier eating is driving volume growth, as…

Although a relatively small category in Bulgaria, breakfast cereals is reporting solid growth in retail volume and current value terms in 2023, due to the rising importance of health. Players are keen to develop healthier options, as with Dr Oetker's…

Whilst the rising production and logistics costs of 2022 have eased, breakfast cereals prices continue their upward trajectory in 2023 as retailers seek to maintain high margins, with no government system to keep them in check. The category still…

Breakfast cereals recorded a decline in retail volume terms in 2023, as the cost of living crisis continued to impact consumer demand. Moreover, with wages decreasing in real terms, many consumers were forced to trade down to cheaper alternatives to…

Consumer demand for processed fruit and vegetables remains stable in 2023, with robust levels of consumption across all categories. While consumer demand for shelf stable fruit is stalling, sales of frozen fruit and frozen processed vegetables…

The consumption of processed fruit and vegetables in Bulgaria increased slightly in 2023, mainly due to the growing need for convenience amid busier lifestyles and rising urbanization. Furthermore, the growing number of people living alone is driving…

Within processed fruit and vegetables, frozen variants are expected to see the strongest current retail value sales growth in Croatia in 2023. The popularity of these products can be attributed to many factors, including their long shelf life, which…

Retail volume sales of processed fruit and vegetables continued to decline in 2023. This was due in a large part to the still-elevated rate of inflation, which impacted the cost of living and caused consumers to rationalise their spending. Consumers…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat achieved minimal retail volume in 2023, although current value growth remains robust. Consumer demand has slowed down due in part to the country’s negative population growth. Rampant inflation has…

While current retail value sales of processed meat see double-digit growth in 2023, volume decline is attributable to higher unit prices, with the increasing cost of raw meat, animal food, energy and transportation being passed on to the consumer.…

Czechs continued to reduce their meat consumption in 2023, with a growing number of consumers identifying as flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan. This was tied to the high price of meat, due to the elevated rate of inflation, as well as environmental…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat reported slightly negative volume growth in 2023, due to the decline in demand for chilled processed red meat and frozen processed red meat and seafood, which are mainly sold in bulk over the counter.…