Eastern Europe

Baby food is expected to register a fall in constant value sales, but volume growth will be moderate. Consumers are expected to be highly price sensitive and prioritise value for money, with a degree of trading down as inflation still bites, though…

Baby formula is expected to register constant and current value growth, but volume growth will be minimal. Georgia’s birth rate is falling and this is expected to dampen volume sales, in particular for milk formula and in particular for standard milk…

From October 2022, the government cut national support for milk formulas from 50% to 25%. This resulted in two-three times higher prices, with standard and special milk formulas having seen a rapid price increase during 2023. Many mothers still buy…

Baby food recorded further volume decline in 2023 as the birth rate in Latvia continues to decline. Also, price increases in the category have further weakened demand in 2023, depressing volume sales. Consumers have been preparing more food at home…

Poland has been witnessing a continuous decline in its population since 2012, with the number of births in 2022 reaching a post-war low. According to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), in 2022, the number of births was estimated at 305,000, which…

Despite lower birth rates, growth in baby food is positive, with retail volume growth rising, despite the landscape seeing double-digit inflation throughout 2022. The increase in retail volume is aided by parents being back in the office, leading to…

Butter and spreads generated robust growth in current value terms during 2023, despite falling demand as unit prices remained high. Butter is increasingly popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it is seen as a healthier alternative to margarine.…

Butter and spreads is expected to register muted constant value and volume growth in 2023. Economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the meteoric rise in inflation and tightening monetary policy continue to have an effect,…

Butter expected to register healthy current value growth, but minimal volume growth. 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…

The increased price of baked goods and pastries, combined with the popularity of chef shows on TV and social media, has driven the popularity of baking at home. This is increasing retail volume sales of margarine and the moderate retail volume…

Retail volume sales of butter and spreads are expected to decrease during 2023, reflecting the declining population and the general trend of consuming less bread. Despite its declining average unit price, retail volume sales of the largest category,…

In 2023, the Polish dairy industry experienced increasing production costs leading to extremely high retail prices for butter. This prompted producers to explore various strategies to prevent further price hikes, maintaining consumer affordability.…

Butter consumption in the Czech Republic was challenged following the surge caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease in retail volume continued in 2022, with the significant increase in prices impacting sales, but in 2023, we expect the…

Despite the demographic challenges present in Bosnia and Herzegovina, consumer demand for cheese remains stable. One reason for the rising consumer interest in cheese is that these products are seen as an economical and nutritious source of protein,…

Cheese is expected to register muted constant value growth, but healthy volume growth in 2023. A significant number of newly-arrived migrants from Ukraine, escaping from the war, is also expected to increase volume sales. However, inflation is…

Butter expected to register healthy current value growth, but minimal volume growth. 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…

Following high double-digit price growth in 2022, the slight price decrease in 2023 positively influenced the retail volume growth of this market. However, cheese remains a product that is considered a non-basic food item by many, and as such, it is…

Volume sales of cheese are experiencing stagnation in 2023 due to its high price, which peaked in 2022 as a result of the rising cost of logistics and energy. Inflation pressure is improving in 2023; however, economic uncertainty prevails. Consumer…

In response to the rise of competition from plant-based cheeses, dairy cheese producers in Poland are innovating with new flavours and types. Dublin Dairy has introduced 100g slices of Maasdam, a cheese known for its rich, sweet, buttery taste with a…

With cheese requiring a significant amount of milk to produce, the increasing prices of raw milk during 2022 caused cheese prices to rise significantly. Production has stayed relatively stable, but the price change caused a noticeable shift in…

Dairy products and alternatives continues to enjoy strong double-digit growth in current value terms, driven by significant unit price increases across all dairy categories. The inflationary pressure which began back in 2022 continued throughout…

Dairy products and alternatives is expected to register healthy volume and more moderate constant value growth in 2023, despite continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the meteoric rise in inflation and tightening…

Dairy products and alternatives is expected to register healthy current value growth and more moderate volume growth. Continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and high inflation is continuing to have an effect and…

With inflation at over 25% in the first quarter of 2023, Hungary experienced the 10th-highest food-related price increase in the world. The high unit price in dairy products and alternatives was bolstered by the international price increase of raw…

A sharp rise in price inflation as a result of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine led to higher costs in energy, logistics, animal feed and key food ingredients in 2022, which translated into significant price increases for dairy and alternatives.…

In 2023, the Polish dairy industry experienced a significant downturn as milk prices steadily declined since January. Dairy corporations reduced purchase prices by an excess of 30-40 grosz per litre, a trend that would persist for most of the year.…

The price of raw milk in the Czech Republic increased in 2022, with the war in Ukraine impacting prices in the supply chain. However, the price of raw milk began to decline at the beginning of 2023, with a higher level of cattle in the country…

The inflationary climate in Bosnia and Herzegovina intensified in 2023, resulting in strong double-digit current value growth of drinking milk products. The higher price of locally and regionally sourced raw milk has pushed up average unit prices in…

Drinking milk is expected to register healthy current value and volume growth in 2023. A significant number of newly-arrived migrants from Ukraine, escaping from the war, is also expected to increase volume sales. However, inflation is expected to…

Drinking milk is expected to register moderate volume growth in 2023. Drinking milk is a staple and this supports volume sales. In addition, the recent influx of migrants from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus as a result of the war in Ukraine, also boosts…

In November 2022, the government placed a price cap on selected basic food, and the regulation was extended until 30 June 2023. The 2.8% fat content UHT cow milk was among the food with frozen prices, leading to minimal single-digit growth for the…

Cow's milk is facing stagnating sales in 2023 as demand continues to wane due to the price increases of 2022. Rising energy costs together with logistics and ingredient costs have forced manufacturers to raise average prices. The purchase price of…

In 2023, dairy producers in Poland employed innovative marketing campaigns to stimulate the sales of drinking milk products. The Dairy Cooperative Piatnica (OSM Piatnica) launched a notable campaign promoting its fresh milk, distinguished by its…

The rising purchase price of milk over 2022, motivated farmers to increase production. This increase was reflected on the consumer's side, with retail milk volume increasing in 2022. This was partly the result of population increase, with almost half…

In 2023, other dairy is witnessing very strong growth in current value terms, mainly as a result of the rising unit prices amidst inflationary pressure. Despite the higher prices, consumer demand is fairly stable resulting in moderate retail volume…

Other dairy continues to be a sizeable product area, largely supported by the popularity of cream and fromage frais and quark. In 2023, it is expected to register minimal constant value growth and moderate volume growth. In 2023, chilled desserts is…

Cream continues to be the largest product area in terms of volume sales in 2023, with the bulk of cream sales accounted for by sour cream, which is a traditional product in Georgia. Sour cream is frequently paired with traditional Georgian dishes…

The international price of raw milk decreased in 2023, which resulted in a slight price compensation for sour cream and other dairy products. Besides, in order to break sanctioned inflation, the government introduced a new anti-inflation tool, which…

Due to the economic uncertainty in the country, most other dairy categories are showing a drop in volume sales in 2023, especially chilled and shelf stable desserts as they are not perceived to be essential items. Decline is also attributable to the…

As the popularity of home cooking rises, spurred by lessons learned during the pandemic and ongoing inflation in Poland, Poles are increasingly preparing meals at home. This trend is expected to drive sales of dairy products often used as…

As the situation around COVID-19 began to resolve in 2022, people were returning to work. However, the war in Ukraine caused inflation, with the price of raw milk rising, hampering growth. Since products such as desserts, fromage frais and creams are…

Consumer demand for plant-based dairy picked up in 2023, resulting in strong double-digit current value growth and a better performance in retail volume sales compared to the previous year. There is a growing appetite for dairy alternatives and…

While sales are still relatively low, there is an appetite for plant-based dairy and it is expected to register very healthy current value and volume growth in 2023. Value sales are largely driven by younger consumers, who consider plant-based…

As in many countries, Hungary is seeing a notable rise in interest in plant-based diets, with many consumers looking to cut down their consumption of meat and dairy products, even if they are not fully committing to vegetarian or vegan diets.…

Plant-based dairy has grown rapidly from a low base in Latvia; however, growth is slowing due to the high prices of plant-based products as the purchasing power of the population is declining due to economic uncertainty in the country. Consuming…

In recent years, there has been a marked shift in the range of products available on store shelves in Poland, with plant-based milks now available in almost every shop, offering a wide selection. Similarly, once hard to find, plant-based yoghurts and…

With the increased popularity of plant-based products, many people are making these products at home. This trend was mostly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people spent more time in the household; however, the worsening economic situation…

Yoghurt and sour milk products registered positive retail volume growth and solid current value growth in 2023 as consumer demand remained stable despite high inflation and pressure on house or incomes. Indeed, current value growth was backed by…

Yoghurt and sour milk products is expected to register muted constant value growth, but healthy volume growth in 2023. A significant number of newly-arrived migrants from Ukraine, escaping from the war, is also expected to increase volume sales.…

Sour milk products continues to account for the highest proportion of sales in yoghurt and sour milk products, with volume sales roughly four times higher than yoghurt and value sales nearly 2.5 times higher. The dominant position of sour milk…