Eastern Europe

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…

In 2023, Poland is seeing a significant expansion in processed fruit and vegetable offerings as players cater to growing consumer demand for convenience, health-conscious options, and varied flavour profiles.

The volume decline experienced by the category in 2023 can be primarily attributed to the surge in the average unit price at the shelf, driven by persistently high inflation and an overall rise in food prices that outpaced inflation. The enduring…

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 food, in general, experienced a slight boost due to a challenging year in agricultural production. A cold spring adversely affected or significantly delayed plant growth in gardens, compelling consumers who traditionally relied on…

Processed fruit and vegetables are recording further growth in 2023. The main factor underpinning this positive performance is the rising demand for products that offer convenience as many consumers have less time to go shopping for fresh food on…

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…

2023 witnessed a robust recovery for sales of shelf stable fruit and vegetables in Ukraine after the category fared better than most other categories of packaged food during 2022. Retail volume sales of shelf stable fruit and vegetables declined over…

Due to their robustness and long shelf life, metal food cans remain the dominant pack type in shelf stable fruit and vegetables, in which shelf stable vegetables account for the bulk of demand. However, alternatives to metal food cans, including…

Metal food cans remained the most popular packaging type for processed fruits and vegetables in 2022, driven by their strength in the largest retail unit volume category of shelf stable fruits and vegetables. Nevertheless, the use of glass jars in…

Metal food cans continue to be the main packaging format used in both shelf stable meat and shelf stable seafood in Poland. Canned seafood, particularly fish, is a low-acid meal ingredient or solution that rapidly promotes the growth of microbes if…

Despite another low retail unit volume decline in 2022 in line with greater mobility outside of the home, demand for processed meat and seafood packaging remained above pre-pandemic levels, driven by urbanisation in Romania. With consumers’…

Processed meat, seafood and alternatives to meat has continued to record positive growth during the pandemic in Eastern Europe, with these products seen as staples in home-cooking by many households. While processed meat, and chilled processed red…

Spiralling energy costs have led many small local grocers in Hungary to reduce the amount of refrigeration and freezer space in their stores in 2023. The same trend has been observed among convenience stores chains like Coop, Real and CBA. As a…

Processed seafood recorded a favourable sales performance during 2023 as the category rebounded from the severe sales declines that were recorded over the course of 2022, the result of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine in February of that…

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.…

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…

Chilled processed poultry is witnessing robust volume growth in 2023 due to changing consumer behaviour as inflation remains high. As household budgets are squeezed, Estonians are actively seeking out chilled processed poultry as it is a cheaper…

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…

Chilled processed meat remains the largest category in both volume and value terms in 2023. Convenience continues to drive category sales as consumers with hectic lifestyles are increasingly looking for ready-to-eat options. However, meat and seafood…

The Polish meat market is undergoing a phase of brand rejuvenation and minor innovations to align with evolving consumer preferences for healthier and more convenient options. Duda, a prominent meat brand, has expanded its poultry range, catering to…

The persistently high inflation in 2023 has significantly diminished the purchasing power of the majority of the population. This financial strain has been further exacerbated by the escalating average shelf prices of processed meat and seafood,…

In 2023, processed meat, as a product area, faced heightened competition from a gradually recovering foodservice industry, despite the weak purchasing power of Slovak households. This shift is driven by the convenience factor and the emergence of…

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.…

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…

Even before the onset of COVID-19, the review period had seen strong growth in demand for ready meals packaging, but the pandemic added impetus to this trend in 2020. With consumers spending more time at home during the year, they ate more meals…

Demand for ready meals packaging was expanding rapidly in Romania during the review period, prior to the onset of pandemic. Urbanisation was the main driver of this growth, as accelerating lifestyles meant that many consumers had less time to prepare…

This report considers what socialising will look like in a post-COVID-19 era, focusing on several key questions. A return to the “Roaring Twenties” in the beverages space or a continuing decimation of the on-trade? How has socialising changed (eg…

There was a slight decline in retail volume sales noted in refrigeration appliances in 2023, with sales of freezers falling. These products significantly consume energy, and with the substantial price increase seen in 2023, most consumers were not…

Retail volume sales of refrigeration appliances witnessed further decline in 2023 as consumers grappled with higher costs of living. The purchase of new appliances has been weakened by the slowdown in the housing market, as fewer people moved homes.…

Refrigeration appliances remains in a volume slump in 2023, following the boost to sales seen in the earlier review period, supported by the cocooning and home-renovation trends seen during the era of the pandemic. For example, freezers were popular…

Freestanding is the most popular format within refrigeration appliances, with 92% of overall volume in 2023. Built-in refrigeration appliances did not experience the same boom as freestanding refrigeration appliances did during COVID-19, as these…

Consumer demand for retail adult incontinence remains stable in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with marginal growth in retail volume terms. In response to rising prices, the category has seen strong double-digit retail value growth. Older people are the…

Retail adult incontinence in Bulgaria continued to witness robust growth in 2023, both in retail volume and current value terms, supported by the ageing population and growing urological problems. Rising demand was due mainly to an expansion of the…

An ageing population continued to support retail sales of adult incontinence products in Croatia in 2023. Rising product awareness and increasing availability in Croatian retailers further contributed to a positive performance. In addition, the…

The surge in volume growth for light adult incontinence products in 2023 reflects an increasing trend towards proactive health management among consumers in Estonia. With a growing emphasis on personal wellness, individuals are seeking solutions that…

Retail adult incontinence continued to exhibit stable volume sales growth in Georgia in 2023. However, the absence of prescription or reimbursement schemes for adult incontinence products remains a challenge. Consequently, consumers must either…

In 2023, retail value sales of adult incontinence goods in Hungary recorded double-digit growth while retail volume growth remained positive. Rising awareness surrounding adult incontinence further supported volume sales, with more consumers…

The surge in demand for light adult incontinence products in 2023 is indicative of a broader trend towards greater awareness and acceptance of these solutions. This trend mirrors the growing acceptance observed toward the end of the review period,…

The landscape of retail adult incontinence in Lithuania witnessed significant shifts in 2023, largely influenced by changes in prescription (Rx) pricing and consumer preferences for lighter incontinence options. Retail sales of adult incontinence…

Consumer demand for retail adult incontinence products in North Macedonia remained stable despite the cost of living challenges facing consumers in 2024. These can be essential products for the elderly as well as those struggling with lifestyle…

In 2023, the ageing population in Poland drove sales in adult retail incontinence goods, which saw positive, double-digit retail volume and value growth. As the number of older adults in need of special health assistance rose, this was accompanied by…

Retail adult incontinence in Romania witnessed a notable surge in sales during 2023, reflecting a robust upward trajectory fuelled by heightened consumer awareness. As societal perceptions surrounding incontinence products continue to evolve, there…

Retail adult incontinence remains a taboo topic in Serbia as people do not like to discuss incontinence problems, even with their relatives and friends. In general, retail volume sales are stimulated by the ageing population in Serbia, which already…