Eastern Europe

In Slovakia, retail adult incontinence products for light and moderate/heavy users witnessed sales growth in 2023. Increasing numbers of consumers are suffering with incontinence problems as the population is ageing. Manufacturers have ramped up…

Retail adult incontinence in Slovenia continued to witness robust volume growth in 2023. The country's rapidly ageing population remains a primary driver of this growth, with older individuals forming the core consumer base for incontinence products.…

Consumer demand for retail adult incontinence and consumption habits is ongoing, which led to growth in volume sales in the country in 2023. This was due mainly to the ageing Czech population, with an increase in the demographic aged 65 and over, the…

Retail adult incontinence demonstrated growth in Ukraine in 2023, fuelled by multiple factors, including a rise in the number of individuals affected by illness and injuries due to the war, increased awareness of the convenience of these products,…

E-commerce registered double-digit current value growth in 2022, as well as healthy constant value growth, in spite of high inflation. The high inflation was due to the war in Ukraine, which led to soaring energy prices, which in turn led to higher…

High inflation impacted retail e-commerce in Bulgaria in 2023. As such, though retail e-commerce registered high current value growth, constant value sales fell. Consumers cut back on spending on less essential items and this impacted e-commerce.…

E-commerce continued to gain significant value share in 2022 as part of the ongoing development of this category. Many consumers sought out cheaper prices online as the cost of living crisis hit many Croatian households. On balance, Croatia is seeing…

Growth in total e-commerce current value sales in 2022 was down markedly on 2021, and also much lower than the CAGR for the entire review period. This was partly explained by the normalisation of trade, in that after having received a significant…

E-commerce posted another strong year of growth in 2022, with current value sales buoyed by higher inflation rates. Following the boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, online retailers witnessed more sustainable growth as many consumers returned to…

Retail e-commerce was a fragmented category in Hungary in 2023, with the leading brand being Media Markt (Media Markt Retail Cooperation Kft), followed by eMAG Marketing (Extreme Digital - Emag Kft). However, Media Markt is the only name holding a…

As in other markets, retail in Latvia continued to see the increased adoption of e-commerce at the end of the review period. While visible prior to the onset of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the pandemic accelerated the global shift towards online…

Due to the increasing number of online retailers and brands, a continually expanding network of lockers in the country, a variety of delivery methods, secure and convenient payment systems, and a growing pool of customers, retail e-commerce continued…

E-commerce registered double-digit current value growth in 2022, as well as healthy constant value growth, in spite of high inflation. The high inflation was due to the war in Ukraine, which led to soaring energy prices, which in turn led to higher…

In 2023, retail value sales of retail e-commerce recoded healthy growth. The category benefited enormously from the pandemic during which there was a surge in the number of consumers shopping online. While the threat from COVID-19 has waned…

After several years of accelerated evolution, 2023 was a challenging year for e-commerce in Romania.

Retail e-commerce in Serbia continued to see dynamic growth in 2022, even outpacing the sharp spike in growth seen in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. Retail e-commerce in Serbia has grown considerably since the start of the pandemic, with…

Retail e-commerce registered a modest increase in current value sales in Slovakia. However, with appliances and electronics continuing to be the most popular products sold online, and with weak consumer sentiment leading consumers to postpone larger…

E-commerce is the big winner in retail, with the channel stimulated by the event of the pandemic, and with consumers continuing to embrace all the benefits which online shopping offers. Indeed, it is consumer satisfaction in e-commerce in Slovenia…

After dynamic sales during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce retail sales slowed in 2023. This is not only attributed to the natural slowdown in growth after several successful years, but also the weaker economy. Czech households made…

In keeping with the performance of the wider retail market, after the shock of the Russian invasion caused a sharp contraction in 2022, e-commerce in Ukraine saw current value sales rebound at a healthy pace in 2023. Indeed, it was among the channels…

Performance was muted for retailers in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2022. Though there was double-digit growth in current value sales, there was only a minimal increase in constant value sales, as inflation dampened volume sales significantly.…

High inflation continued to impact retail in Bulgaria in 2023, though growth in retail prices did ease. As such, though current value sales increased, there was a fall in constant value sales, as continuing rising costs hit profit margins, and also…

Croatians were impacted by rising inflation in 2022 and faced a cost of living crisis similar to many shoppers across Europe. As the economy started to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and rising costs of energy and raw materials…

Retail in Estonia saw total current value sales grow at a double-digit rate for a second consecutive year in 2022. However, growth was only marginally faster than in 2021 despite steep increases in unit prices for all kinds of goods amidst a surge in…

The war in Ukraine exacted a heavy toll on Georgia’s economy with retail prices spiking in 2022. Close trade links with Russia and Georgia’s status as an emerging economy have also exerted pressure on the country’s currency, with depreciation also…

Retail in Hungary continued to be influenced by inflationary factors in 2023, with the double-digit hikes continuing (and even increasing from) the previous year. Moreso, Hungary is reported to be experiencing one of the highest sets of hikes across…

The War in Ukraine had a strong impact on Latvia in 2022, creating conditions for high inflation and economic and political uncertainty. This, in turn, affected consumer priorities and spending patterns in retail arenas. Meanwhile, retail in Latvia…

Inflation has had an impact on consumer behaviour, leading them to become more cautious about their spending, with essential goods taking priority during 2022. Moreover, discounters serve as a major driver of retail offline, thanks to their best…

The war in Ukraine had a negative impact, with the resultant energy crisis leading to high inflation and dampening volume sales somewhat. As a result, while overall retail registered a healthy increase in current value sales in 2022, constant value…

High inflation led to a deterioration in consumer purchasing power in 2023 with many consumers who had the additional financial burden of mortgages and other loans being particularly badly affected. Instalments increased significantly as a result of…

Grocery retailers dominate sales in 2023

Retail e-commerce continued to see more dynamic growth than offline retail in 2022 in current value terms with companies continuing to invest in setting up, expanding and improving their online presence. Local and international retailers have been…

It was a poor trading year for retail in Slovakia in 2023. With inflation still being high, as well increasing interest rates leading to higher mortgage payments, consumers felt the pinch. As such, there was only marginal growth in current value…

Retail in Slovenia is being supported by the return to out-of-home lifestyles in 2022, following the pandemic restrictions which stretched into 2021. Retail e-commerce is the big winner, as this channel was notably enhanced by the era of the pandemic…

Retail in the Czech Republic was heavily affected by the war in Ukraine, as energy costs soared and inflation climbed to double digits, a trend that has continued into 2023. The Czech economy has weakened substantially with consumers struggling to…

The digital revolution has been rewiring retail for years, leading to new business models, commerce ecosystems and channels for reaching and engaging consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition, as e-commerce became the default…

The digital revolution has been rewiring retail for years. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated this transition as e-commerce became the default setting for many housebound consumers. The crisis-inspired surge in e-commerce is leading to a…

After experiencing a deep contraction in 2022 due to the shock of the Russian invasion, retail in Ukraine saw total current value sales rebound at an impressive pace in 2023 as consumers and businesses adjusted to the new reality. However, recovery…

In retail tissue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, toilet paper, paper tableware and paper towels all saw a moderate decline in retail volume terms in 2023. Consumers opted to economise and refrained from buying less essential products like paper tableware.…

Volume sales of retail tissue in Bulgaria declined in 2023 due to weaker demand for napkins, boxed facial tissues and toilet paper, although for differing reasons. Napkins are not only considered less essential, but consumers were put off by price…

A strong unit price increase in all retail tissue categories had negative impact of volume sales in Croatia in 2023. The only category to see volume growth in the year was toilet paper as this is an essential item. Consumers sought to make savings in…

In 2023, retail sales of retail tissue in Estonia recorded solid growth, both in value and volume terms. Boxed facial tissues experienced remarkable volume growth in 2023, driven by heightened consumer awareness and evolving lifestyle trends. The…

The return to pre-pandemic lifestyles in 2023 has stimulated volume sales of retail tissue in Georgia. Despite this growth, there has been a decline in unit prices. In 2022, the price of cellulose surged, leading to significant increases in tissue…

In 2023, retail value sales of retail tissue were double-digit in Hungary, driven by ongoing inflation and price hikes. Consumer purchasing behaviour changed in line with the economic downturn, driving interest in more affordable, economy retail…

Throughout 2023, the demand for paper towels experienced remarkable growth in both value and volume terms. This surge can be attributed to the growing recognition among consumers of the versatility and practicality of paper towels in various…

As Lithuania emerged from the pandemic in 2023, retail tissue underwent a period of adjustment, navigating the new normal. Amidst this transition, certain products like toilet paper, regarded as household staples, remained relatively stable,…

Retail tissue in North Macedonia witnessed limited volume growth in 2023, due to the lacklustre performance of toilet paper. Consumption has been impinged by cost of living pressures and significant price increases across all retail tissue products,…

In 2023, retail tissue in Poland registered double-digit retail value growth, the result of high inflation and rising price points. As manufacturers faced increased production costs, these were passed on to consumers, resulting in higher unit prices.…

Inflation in 2023 influenced Romanians' shopping behaviour for retail tissue. Unit prices continued to rise due to increased costs associated with raw materials and energy, as well as the trend towards premiumisation. This led to further polarisation…

In 2023, consumers focused on buying essential retail tissue products in Serbia, as inflation remained stubbornly high. Toilet paper faced robust volume growth and supported overall category growth, as it is considered a necessary product that cannot…