Eastern Europe

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…

Cheese is experiencing the cross-category trend of value being supported by high prices, whereas volume is being suppressed by low consumer spending power in the inflationary context. The overall volume declines in cheese are also the consequence of…

The local cheese industry is facing challenges in 2023, as imported products are favoured by retailers. In February 2023, the Serbian government introduced an import duty of 30 dinars per kilogram of cheese to protect domestic production from the…

Retail volume sales of cheese continued to decline in 2023, albeit at a lower rate than the previous year. Growth was hampered by inflationary pressures, which made it harder for Slovak households to afford to consume the product on a daily basis.…

The cheese category is growing in volume and value terms. Inflation is driving the value growth of the category while the functional and health effects provided by consuming cheese are driving the volume growth of the category, where spreadable…

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…

The war has taken its toll on the local economy with disposable income in most households being squeezed. As a result, some price-sensitive consumers are downtrading when it comes to shopping for cheese. For instance, some consumers are shifting to…

The high inflation that prevailed in Hungary during 2022 and during 2023 led many consumers to make changes to their consumer habits in an effort to save money. This contributed to the significant shift towards more budget-friendly options that was…

Over recent years, second-hand shopping gained global traction, primarily among Gen Z. This trend has now transcended demographics, notably appealing to parents of small children. With Poland's ongoing cost of living crisis and the rapid growth of…

Romanian consumers are showing a tendency to be more frugal in the context of high inflation with rising prices for raw materials and final products. This was reflected in a slight deceleration of the volume trend in 2023, though growth remained…

Childrenswear is expected to see a further, and stronger, decline in retail volume sales and a moderate, but much slower, retail current value increase over 2023. There was some fluctuation or downsizing about the performance of the category overall.…

In 2023, chocolate confectionery is witnessing low and stable retail volume growth, despite the ongoing inflationary pressures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As seen during past financial crises, affordable treats, such as chocolate confectionery, can…

Recent checks by media and consumer organisations have shown certain types of chocolate confectionery – such as luxury boxed assortments and tablets – cost considerably more in Bulgaria than in other European countries where living standards are much…

Chocolate confectionery is expected to register further current value and volume growth in 2023, with value growth higher than volume growth as inflation pushes prices up. Countlines, particularly for on-the-go formats.

Overall chocolate confectionery sales were close to stagnation in Eastern Europe in 2020, hit by the loss of impulse/on-the-go sales, fewer gifting occasions and disrupted holiday periods (Easter, Christmas) due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), negatively…

Chocolate confectionery is expected to be the best performing snack in 2023, with healthy constant value and volume growth. Per capita consumption is on the rise, largely fuelled by a growing appetite for dark chocolate, which is seen as healthier.…

Chocolate confectionery continued to face inflationary pressures in 2023, following an increase of between 10-15% in unit prices in 2022. The war in Ukraine and subsequent changes in logistics impacted the supply chain and drove up variable costs. In…

Retail volume sales of sales of chocolate confectionery saw a flat performance in 2023. With food prices rocketing, consumers were forced to reduce their expenditure on non-essential items. However, while, price hikes were inevitable, there was some…

While chocolate confectionery is expected to register a double digit increase in current value sales, volume sales are expected to fall slightly. Continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the meteoric rise in…

In 2023, chocolate confectionery is witnessing muted growth in retail volume terms, with the economy slowing down and entering a technical recession in the first half of the year. Inflation remains high, but the economy is stable and hence consumer…

Chocolate confectionery is witnessing a more upbeat performance in 2023, with retail volume sales returning to growth. There has been a significant number of new chocolate products launched in 2023, which has captured consumer interest and boosted…

Inflation and higher production costs forced food companies in Poland to raise prices towards the end of the review period. While small producers often could not afford to do so without losing contracts with retail chains, larger companies like…

Chocolate confectionery is maintaining its strong penetration across households in Romania in 2024, thanks to such products’ indulgent qualities and the sense of wellbeing which eating chocolate can bring. However, chocolate confectionery is also…

Retail volume sales of chocolate confectionery continued to see positive growth in 2023, supported by the return of Serbians to their busy, pre-pandemic lifestyles, including increased opportunities for on-the-go and impulse consumption. Despite…

The significant rise in commodity prices, production costs, and inflation in 2023 has a notable impact on consumers' ability to purchase chocolate confectionery. Consequently, there is a heightened interest in price promotions and discounts as…

Chocolate confectionery is expected to register moderate constant value growth in 2023, but volume growth will be marginal. Continuing economic uncertainty as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the meteoric rise in inflation and tightening…

There was an increase in retail volume sales of chocolate confectionery in 2023 due to two contributing factors. First, the lifting of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions has seen much of the local workforce return to the office after working from home,…

During times of economic uncertainty, chocolate confectionery tends to cede ground to sugar confectionery in Ukraine. This is largely because of the higher prices of chocolate confectionery amid strong pressure on consumer incomes. Towards the end of…

Consumer demand for cider/perry in Bosnia and Herzegovina tends to be highly volatile, given that this category is small within alcoholic drinks. In 2023, even minor changes and shifts had significant impacts on the category's performance. Following…

In 2023, the cider/perry category in Bulgaria witnessed strong growth in retail volume terms, thereby exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The development of this category is a result of the global trend towards low-alcohol and long drinks, especially…

In 2023, cider and perry in Croatia continued their upward trajectory, surpassing 2019 volume sales in both the off-trade and on-trade channels. This resurgence was primarily driven by the return of open-air socialising, concerts, festivals, and…

2023 saw a decline in cider/perry sales in Estonia. Although cider remains a popular beverage in foodservice during the summer, economic uncertainty in 2023 caused sales to suffer. Sweet options like Fizz and Kiss lost ground as consumers became more…

Cider/perry saw a rise in total volume sales in Hungary in 2023. Cider, a relatively new category in the Hungarian alcoholic drinks market, remains a small segment compared to beer, but is growing, in contrast to alcoholic flavoured/mixed lagers,…

Cider/perry grew well in Latvia during 2023 with the hot summer creating additional demand for this alcoholic beverage which is normally served very cold. Cider continued to gain back the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic with the on-trade…

Volume sales of cider/perry plummeted in Lithuania during 2023 due to strong preference for alternatives. Consumers are put off from buying cider due to its high sugar content, a feature that even self-indulgent consumers tend to avoid. With…

Due to inconsistent consumer demand in North Macedonia, cider/perry witnessed volatility in sales over the review period. In 2023, cider/perry sales bounced back amid growing demand with double-digit volume growth and even stronger current value…

Cider/perry is a declining category, with a lack of interest or investment that could help stimulate sales. Due to falling demand, retail chains are reducing the shelf space provided for cider/perry, especially discounters, some of which have even…

Cider/perry in Romania has equally felt the impact of price increases and the high cost of living in 2023, as in other categories. However, volume growth rose slightly in the off-trade and on-trade, reflecting the increasing number of consumers loyal…

Cider/perry in Serbia continued to see strong and stable volume growth in total volume terms in 2022, although growth continued to come from a small consumer base. The on-trade channel witnessed stronger volume and value growth although this was…

Cider/perry in Slovakia continued to decline at a rapid pace in volume terms in 2023, following the withdrawal of major brands, including Pivovary Topvar’s Kingswood, and Budejovicky Budvar’s Somersby cider, in the previous year. This resulted in…

In 2023, cider emerged as the fastest-growing category of alcoholic drinks in Slovenia. Its increasing popularity can be attributed to the well-known health benefits of its ingredients and the high number of apples produced locally. Consumers are…

Price increases of cider/perry and the weak economic situation in the Czech Republic resulted in declining volume sales, whilst rising unit prices underpinned current value sales. The withdrawal of three key brands in 2022 continued to negatively…

Smoking prevalence in Bosnia and Herzegovina has continued to decline throughout the review period, a trend that persisted into 2023, exerting a downward pressure on cigarette consumption. This decline is attributed to a growing number of…

Cigarette consumption in Bulgaria recorded a marginal decline in 2023. The switch to alternative products among younger adults, such as heated tobacco products and single use cigarettes, has become very popular over the last year. Millennials and Gen…

Despite continuously rising prices, cigarettes in Croatia saw a further increase in retail volume sales in 2023, albeit a moderate upturn and significantly slower than in 2021 and 2022. Croatia is one of the rare EU markets that is seemingly showing…

Smoking prevalence continues to decline in Eastern Europe, with retail volume sales of cigarettes also falling. Some consumers continue to try and cut down on their smoking or quit altogether for health reasons, brought into even greater focus by…

In 2023, cigarettes in Estonia witnessed another year of retail volume sales decline. The downward trajectory is partly due to consumers becoming more conscious of health and therefore likely to quit the habit. However, the major reason for the fall…

There was a significant increase in volume sales of cigarettes in Georgia in 2023. This was partly due to an increase in population, as there were increased numbers of immigrants from Russia, as a result of the war in Ukraine. Also, inflation…

Tobacco in Hungary saw a decline in volume terms overall in 2023, attributed to several and various factors. Despite price hikes that remained below the annual inflation rate, the market's largest segments struggled to stem the fall. Volume sales of…

Throughout 2023, retail sales of cigarettes in Latvia sustained a downward trajectory. This trend was primarily driven by the steady increase in average unit prices, attributed to excise tax policies and heightened competition from alternative…