Latin America

Despite the negative trend in overall alcoholic drinks consumption, cider/perry showed a slight total volume increase in Mexico in 2023, although growth was driven by off-trade sales, as on-trade sales turned to decline. Total volume growth was…

RTDs maintained solid total volume growth in 2023, with increases seen both on-trade and off-trade. RTDs is comprised of spirit-based and wine-based RTDs, plus other RTDs (mainly hard seltzers). It was the latter that showed the strongest total…

Due to a reduction in celebrations and social gatherings, and the impact of inflation, spirits in Mexico showed a slight decrease in total volume terms in 2023, with on-trade sales seeing little movement, and off-trade sales declining. The national…

Wine in Mexico registered total volume growth in 2023, with increases seen both on-trade and off-trade. During 2023, although wine imports suffered a considerable contraction due to a succession of frosts, droughts, and torrential rain, with…

In 2023, alcoholic drinks in Chile saw a second year of total volume decline. The industry was shaped by a complex interplay of economic factors and changing consumer preferences. In analysing these trends, it is essential to consider how economic…

Beer in Chile maintained total volume decline in 2023, with sales falling both on-trade and off-trade. Mid-priced lager encountered a notable total volume decline, which can be attributed to a confluence of factors, chiefly revolving around robust…

Cider in Chile experienced only low total volume growth in 2023, with increases for both channels. Climate change emerged as a significant factor hampering growth. The production of cider relies heavily on the cultivation of apples, and the category…

Retail demand for cigarettes in Chile continued to decline in 2023. Cigarette smuggling has became a major issue for Chilean tobacco. A study, conducted by British American Tobacco and the MIDE Center at the Catholic University of Chile, revealed…

Demand for overall cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco in Chile fell in 2023, while value sales grew below the inflation rate. The main reason for this weak performance was the limited expansion of the local consumer base in recent years. The…

In 2023, Ready-To-Drink beverages (RTDs) in Chile saw a total volume decline, with falling sales both on-trade and off-trade. The category encountered a significant hurdle in the form of inflation, which played a pivotal role in curbing demand for…

E-vapour products in Chile continued to record strong growth in 2023, driven by closed vaping systems. In particular, closed system single use recorded double-digit growth in both volume and value terms during the year, making it the most relevant…

Spirits in Chile returned to slight total volume growth in 2023, with increases for both channels. Despite seeing a minimal total volume decline in 2023, pisco, a beloved spirit deeply ingrained in Chilean culture, has demonstrated remarkable…

The tobacco industry in Chile experienced a positive performance in 2023, although the largest category of cigarettes experienced another drop in demand. This fall in volumes was significantly influenced by the growing challenge of tobacco products…

Wine in Chile saw a total volume decline in 2023, with slightly falling sales both on-trade and off-trade. In wine, premiumisation encountered a notable deceleration in 2022 and 2023, influenced by the dual challenges of an unstable economic scenario…

It was a positive picture for alcoholic drinks in Guatemala in 2023, with moderate volume and constant value growth, in spite of high inflation and also social unrest.

Beer continued to be the most popular alcoholic drink in Guatemala and registered positive volume growth in 2023. It is a mature product, with a high degree of segmentation. Local mid-priced and economy beers dominate, with local brewery, Cervecería…

Cider/perry has a niche profile in Guatemala with it being sold mainly through modern retail channels, with only limited shelf space and visibility. Brands such as Arbor Mist, Eva and Wells have narrow portfolios of three to four flavours and have…

Contact lenses and solutions in Brazil experienced exceptional growth in 2023, registering a double-digit increase in current value terms, with continued positive, although slower growth expected in 2024. This category has significantly propelled…

Eyewear in Brazil has navigated a complex socioeconomic landscape in 2023 and 2024, marked by both local and global challenges. Post-pandemic recovery saw Brazil grappling with high inflation rates up until 2022, which significantly eroded consumers’…

RTDs in Guatemala registered healthy volume growth in what is an increasingly popular alcoholic drink, with volume sales increasing by a fifth. RTDs drinks are mainly consumed by younger consumers of under 30 years-of-age, with their bright colourful…

Snacks is set to see modest growth in 2024 due to rising prices caused by inflation and increasing prices of raw materials, with imported brands being especially affected. However, while price remains important, many consumers are seeking small…

2023 and into 2024 has been a challenging period for spectacles in Brazil. Despite achieving growth slightly above inflation, the category has faced significant hurdles that have required resilience and multiple sales strategies to navigate. Global…

In spite of continuing price rises, spirits in Guatemala registered moderate volume growth in 2023. One reason being that consumers of spirits are generally less price sensitive than beer consumers. Tequila (mezcal) was the best performer in terms of…

Sunglasses in Brazil experienced steady growth in 2023, and this is set to continue in 2024, in a marked improvement from the struggles faced during the pandemic years. While growth has not been as aggressive as in other categories, and sales have…

Wine experienced very healthy volume growth in in Guatemala in 2023, with sales increasing by a fifth. All wines are imported from countries such as Chile, Argentina, Spain, Italy and the US. There is significant segmentation, with consumers…

Overall, it was a muted picture for alcoholic drinks in the Dominican Republic in 2023, with volume sales falling overall, as the economy spluttered. However, the picture improved in the second half of the year, as the economy picked up.

2023 was a year of mixed results for alcoholic drinks in Peru. With a second consecutive year of high inflation and a sharp rise in living costs Peruvians became more cautious in their spending when it came to alcoholic drinks, with the most affected…

In 2023, the economic situation in Uruguay experienced a more negative turn than anticipated in the previous year, primarily due to drought conditions during the first half of the year. The GDP grew and overall consumption remained stable. Inflation,…

It was a mixed year for beer in the Dominican Republic in 2023. Overall, there was a slight increase in volume sales, though volume sales actually fell during the first half of the year, as the economy spluttered, and consumers cut down on beer…

2023 was a year marked by recession in Peru, which directly impacted the consumption of alcoholic drinks. Nonetheless, while sales of more expensive options such as wine and spirits saw a sharp decline in sales in total volume terms demand for beer…

Beer emerged as the most preferred alcoholic beverage among Uruguayans in 2023, accounting for more than half of total alcohol consumption. In recent years, there was a clear polarisation in consumption, favouring economic beer on the one hand and…

Chocolate confectionery in Chile faces significant challenges due to further price increases driven by rising costs of cocoa. Cocoa is a fundamental ingredient in chocolate production, and fluctuations in its price directly impact production costs…

Over 2024, chocolate confectionery in Mexico is expected to see moderate retail volume growth, only slightly below the increase posted in 2023. While slowing, the rate of inflation in Mexico remains significant and continues to affect manufacturer,…

Consumption of cider/perry is low in the Dominican Republic and in 2023, it was even lower, with volume sales falling significantly. There was increased price sensitivity, as the economy spluttered, particularly in the first half of the year., and…

In a difficult year for alcoholic drinks in Peru, cider/perry was one of the few bright spots with the category seeing double-digit growth in total volume terms for the second year running. The main reason for this was due to the fact that the…

Historically, cider/perry has struggled to establish itself in alcoholic beverages, primarily competing on price. This has led to its reputation as an economical, basic product available in large, accessible formats, lacking sophistication. As the…

Unit price growth of gum in Chile serves as a crucial mechanism to offset volume decline, navigating the complex interplay between consumer behaviour, market dynamics, and pricing strategies. As the demand for gum experiences fluctuations, influenced…

In 2024, gum in Mexico is projected to see only a marginal increase in retail volume sales, with predicted strong retail current value growth largely dependent on inflationary pressure on prices. The overall performance is heavily influenced by that…

Chile's standing as one of the leading Latin American markets in terms of ice cream per capita consumption is a multifaceted phenomenon, deeply rooted in cultural, economic, and climatic factors that collectively drive its robust demand. First and…

Retail current value sales of ice cream in Mexico have been growing healthily consistently, with a further strong increase projected over 2024. This is supported by ice cream’s profitability, with margins pushed up by price increases amid an…

RTDs were the star performer in the Dominican Republic in 2023. While other alcoholic drinks registered minimal volume growth, or saw sales decline, RTDs register double-digit percentage volume growth. Volume sales are now almost on par with wine.…

Despite Peru entering recession 2023, RTDs managed to deliver strong growth in total volume terms, with these products continuing to attract new consumers. Apart from the novelty of these products, factors such as the wide variety of brands and…

RTDs was one of the biggest winners in alcoholic drinks in Uruguay in 2023. Amongst the different types of RTDs, spirit-based drinks put in the best performance over the review period as a whole. Growth has been in line with the trend towards…

Savoury snacks in Chile is undergoing a significant transformation due to the phenomenon of shrinkflation, prompted by escalating production costs. This trend, where product sizes decrease while prices remain the same or even increase, reflects a…

Savoury snacks in Mexico is projected to register moderate retail volume and strong retail current value growth over 2024. As in other snacks categories, a still high inflation rate has forced consumers to prioritise and redistribute their…

Snacks in Chile is undergoing significant market developments influenced by a variety of trends that reflect evolving consumer preferences, economic factors, and industry dynamics. One notable trend is the inflationary pressure on chocolate…

During 2024 sales of snacks suffered from inflationary pressures which dampened growth in volume sales. Imported brands lost competitiveness due to their higher prices as constraints on disposable income stimulated consumer caution in their spending…

In 2024, still relatively high inflation is playing a key role in snacks in Mexico. As input costs rise and crops are adversely affected by climate change, for example in the case of cocoa, companies are developing strategies to maintain their volume…

While spirits continued to be a popular alcoholic drink in the Dominican Republic in 2023, it registered a significant drop in volume sales. With the economy spluttering and prices also rising, consumers cut down on consumption of spirits, as prices…

Peru’s government announced in the second half of 2023 that the country had entered an economic recession. This was a result of high inflation, the lingering effects of the pandemic, the strikes and protests following the replacement of former…